20-01-2010 om 10:00 by Amanda Potter

Every Thursday evening, my husband and I put out a bag of trash and our little green bin.  The trash I could care less about; expect perhaps a desire to decrease it further. But the green bins dotting the sidewalk makes Maastricht the most environmentally proactive city I’ve ever lived in.

Otherwise known as GFT (Groente, Fruit en Tuin), Biobak, or Doubak, the green bin comes in two sizes and collects all the organic waste you might have tossed into the trash.  Any organic material can be collected, from plants to meat scraps to biodegradable paper (although not pe waste). Since this sort of material can be troublesome if it sits for too long or gets too warm, here are a few tips for managing your green bin:

- Keep the bin outside on a porch/in the backyard to keep the smell outside.
- Put it out on time, every time. Most towns collect weekly.
- Keep the bin near the door for frequent use, or have a small, lidded container in your kitchen to collect scraps. Dump it once or twice a day.
- If the material inside gets mushy or sticky, line the bin with paper or add a bit of water. Paper can be used to soak up sauces you might want to throw out as well. This will help the material slide out more easily when collected.

Your apartment should come with a green bin, but if not you can apply for one at your Gemeente. The cost of the bin and service is included in your town taxes.



In addition to the green bin, recycling stations are available in most towns. These outdoor bins allow you to recycle glass, paper drink cartons, plastics, and all sorts of paper. In Maastricht I can think of at least three stations within easy walking distance from my apartment. Large or awkward recycling items can be left on the street in accordance with your town’s afvalwijzer (waste calendar) or taken to the local “waste terminal” station which also takes hazardous materials. If you don’t have a calendar, trying looking it up on your Gemeente’s website or stop in and see if they can give you one.

Of course this, reasonably complete, composting and recycling system exists all over the Netherland, which leads me to wonder why my country of origin hasn’t gotten with the program yet.  Things like the green bin make it much easier for city-dwellers to properly sort their household waste without having to add too many more steps.  And with limited space, reducing the amount of land used for landfills/processing stations is in everyone’s best interest.  For more about waste management and recycling in all areas of Limburg, click here or contact your local Gemeente.

Leave a reply