Amsterdam (NL)

Population: 821,752 inh.

Density: 4,953.6 inh./km²

Share of multi-family houses: 25.00%

GDP: 26,900 €/inh

Description of the waste collection system

Scope of municipal waste

Household waste	Similar waste	Other
x	x

Additional comments: In the Netherlands, municipalities are responsible for the collection of household waste. Companies with similar waste can ask the municipality to collect their waste. Municipalities will decide on a case-by-case basis.

Responsibility of collection: The city of Amsterdam is (politically) responsible for the collection and treatment of waste. It is important to note, however, that the number of organizations involved in the collection and treatment of waste in Amsterdam is large and complex. In the first place, every sub-municipality (stadsdeel) ensures that collection is in line with the characteristics of its neighbourhoods. This means that there are de facto seven systems running along each other in the city (one for each sub-municipality. Every sub-municipality directs and executes its own waste collection and management system; thus exploitating its own collection trucks, administrations and employees. This also means that collection bin sizes and collection methods can differ between the sub-municipalities. AEB Amsterdam - publicly owned company (100% participation of the city of Amsterdam) - is responsible for the (first) treatment of all collected waste and the management of the city's CAS.

Implementation ongoing for: Paper and cardboard

Fee system

Pay-as-you-throw: Yes

Description of the fee system: In Amsterdam there is no PAYT-scheme based on generated kg residual waste in place. However, the municipality makes a difference between one-person households (€235) and other households (€313).

Annual waste fee: 235.00 €/cap

Description of the waste fee: 2015

Separation system

	Single or comingled
Glass	Single
Paper and cardboard	Single
Composite	Co-mingled
Plastic	Co-mingled
Metal

Additional comments: Glass is separately collected in underground containers (1207 pcs) or street-level container (21 pcs) [5] Paper & cardboard is separately collected in underground containers (97% of the collected materials). In the sub-municipalities "Zuid" & "Noord" paper & cardboard is collected with minicontainers (3% of the collected materials) [5] Plastics are collected together with beverage cartons since June 1st, 2015. Plastic is separately collected in underground containers (84 pcs) and street-level containers (21 pcs) [5] Beverage cartons are collected together with plastics since June 1st, 2015. Drinking cartons are separately collected in underground containers (84 pcs) and street-level containers (21 pcs) [5] Plastic and beverage cartons are collected together since June 1st, 2015.

Collection mode

	Door-to-door	Bring bank	CAS	Other
Glass
Paper and cardboard




Plastic

Additional comments: At this stage tonnes per collection method is not available. Glass is collected via bringpoints and CAS. At this stage tonnes per collection method is not available. Paper is collected via bringpoints and CAS. At this stage tonnes per collection method is not available. Plastic is collected together with drinking cartons via bringpoints and CAS; but available data is on the plastic fraction separately [5]

Door-to-door collection scheme

Waste Stream	Collection frequency	Collection coverage in %	Additional remark
Residual waste	weekly (high-rise buildings) & bi-weekly (low-rise buildings)
Glass
Paper and Cardboard	Monthly
Paper and cardboard, packaging
Paper and cardboard, non-packaging
Plastic
Metal
Composite

Bring bank scheme

Waste Stream	Number of inhabitants per bring bank	Additional remark
Glass	669
Paper and Cardboard	497
Paper and cardboard, packaging
Paper and cardboard, non-packaging
Plastic
Metal
Composite
Plastic + Metal + Composite	3424	[5]

Performance of the waste collection system

Residual waste: 256.0 kg/cap

Additional comment: At this stage tonnes per collection method is not available. Glass is collected via bringpoints and CAS. At this stage tonnes per collection method is not available. Paper is collected via bringpoints and CAS. Glass

Glass	First sorting or treatment destination
	Output from first sorting or treatment
	Subsequent sorting or treatment steps
Paper and cardboard	First sorting or treatment destination
	Output from first sorting or treatment
	Subsequent sorting or treatment steps
Paper and cardboard, packaging	First sorting or treatment destination
	Output from first sorting or treatment
	Subsequent sorting or treatment steps
Paper and cardboard, non-packaging	First sorting or treatment destination
	Output from first sorting or treatment
	Subsequent sorting or treatment steps
Plastic	First sorting or treatment destination	Plastic is collected together with drinking cartons. The first sorting step focuses on the separation of these two fractions. This sorting step is performed by SITA. The plastic is subsequently processed into re-granulate (with an efficiency of 75%) that is then processed by plastic recyclers/converters. The drinking cartons are separated on their main components, i.e. plastic, paper and aluminium. A part of the recovered plastic is sent for processing by a plastic recycler/converter.
	Output from first sorting or treatment	After separation of plastics from the co-mingled plastic/drinking carton stream, plastics are processed into re-granulate (with an efficiency of 75%).
	Subsequent sorting or treatment steps	Final recycling rate: 6.5% (capture rate) * 75% (recycling rate) = 4.9%
Metal	First sorting or treatment destination
	Output from first sorting or treatment
	Subsequent sorting or treatment steps
Composite	First sorting or treatment destination
	Output from first sorting or treatment
	Subsequent sorting or treatment steps
Residual waste	First sorting or treatment destination	Residual waste collected via bring points and door-to-door collection is transported to AEB Amsterdam. Since 2015/2016, AEB applies a sorting steps wherein the recovery 7 kg plastic/ inhabitant / year. The remaining fraction is incinerated with recovery of energy (electricity and heat) and bottom ash (metals, inorganic materials).
	Output from first sorting or treatment	7 kg plastic / inhabitant / year = 5.752.264 kg/year
	Subsequent sorting or treatment steps	Increase of collection rate of plastics with 30% to 36,9%%.

Running costs: [6] Net total costs for waste collection is 81 million euros. These costs include personnel, vehicles, collection and deposit costs, costs for management and maintenance of (underground) containers.

References and disclaimer

References: [1] Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek (2015). Demografische kerncijfers per gemeente 2015.; https://www.cbs.nl/nl-nl/publicatie/2015/52/demografische-kerncijfers-per-gemeente-2015 [2] Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek (2015). Inkomen per gemeente en wijk 2015. ; https://www.cbs.nl/nl-nl/maatwerk/2018/03/inkomen-per-gemeente-en-wijk-2015 [3] Rijkswaterstaat, Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management (2015). Afvalcijfers per gemeente.; https://www.afvalcirculair.nl/onderwerpen/monitoring-cijfers/afvalcijfers/ [4] Uitvoeringsplan afval - Grondstoffen uit Amsterdam (14 juli 2016).; https://www.amsterdam.nl/publish/pages/863251/uitvoeringsplan_afval.pdf [5] Afvalketen in Beeld - Grondstoffen uit Amsterdam (October 2015); https://www.amsterdam.nl/publish/pages/747611/afvalketen_in_beeld_grondstoffen_uit_amsterdam_okt_2015.pdf [6] Gemeente Amsterdam - Begroting 2018; https://amsterdamcity.nl/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/begroting_2018.pdf

Additional comments

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