Residual waste and waste bags

Maastricht aims to become a zero-waste city. Together we minimise waste. We separate any unavoidable waste for recycling and reuse, allowing us to make new materials out of rubbish. Proper waste separation reduces residual waste, which benefits you too. The less residual waste you have left, the fewer residual waste bags you need to buy. This page explains how residual waste is collected, what you can put in your residual waste bags and where you can buy them.

Home collection

Residual waste bags are collected door-to-door, from outside your property. We collect residual waste once per two weeks throughout the whole city. Check the collection dates for your address on our Milieu App  and our waste calendar.

If you prefer to separate and recycle, you can take your waste to one of our recycling stations or centres.  Some high-rise buildings have underground containers for residual household waste.

Red and white residual waste bags

Please use a red and white Maastricht residual waste bag when putting your residual waste out for collection. Our waste collection crew will not collect any other types of bags.

Charges

The following rates apply in 2024:

  • ​​25 litre residual waste bags: € 12.80 (pack of 20)
  • 50 litre residual waste bags: € 11.00 (pack of 10)

You can buy the red and white Maastricht residual waste bags at various shops. See the drop-down section 'Where to buy residual waste bags' at the bottom of this page for a list of shops.

Free residual waste bags or compensation for low incomes

If you are on a low income, you may be struggling to pay your waste disposal taxes or to buy red and white residual waste bags. If so, you can apply for a tax exemption. You can submit your application (in Dutch only) to the organisation that deals with waste disposal tax: de Belastingsamenwerking Gemeenten en Waterschappen (BsGW).

If you are entitled to a tax exemption, you do not have to pay the tax assessment. You will also receive a number of residual bags for free or the municipality will give you an allowance:

  • € 20.20 (if you live alone) or
  • € 30.30 (if you live together)

The municipality will send you a letter if you are eligible for an exemption. You do not have to submit a separate application.

If you do not know whether you are eligible for a remission, please visit the website of BsGW (in Dutch only).

Comments and complaints

Has your waste not been collected? Or do you have another complaint or comment? Let us know via the MijnGemeente app or call us on 14 043.

  • In the city centre (see list of street names below), different times apply for offering your waste. 

    You can put your organic waste and/or residual bags on the street between 5.00 and 6.00 p.m. on the day of collection. From 6.00 p.m. onwards, we will collect your waste. 

    Some locations are difficult to reach for our waste collection service. The table below shows whether there is a central collection point for your address.

    Your address Central collection point?
    Markt 1 to 76 B -
    Heilige Geest On the Markt, at the lamppost opposite the Heilige Geest
    Spilstraat -
    Nieuwstraat -
    Grote Staat -
    Dominicanerkerkstraat -
    Leliestraat At the corner of Leliestraat / Grote Staat or Leliestraat / Platielstraat
    Sporenstraat -
    Vijfharingenstraat -
    Kleine Staat -
    Muntstraat -
    Hoenderstraat -
    Mariastraat Near the lamppost on the Kesselskade
    Jodenstraat At the corner Jodenstraat / Kesselskade
    Maastrichter Brugstraat -
    Maastrichter Smedenstraat At the corner of Smedenstraat / Wolfstraat or at the square Mestreechter Geis / Het Bat
    Wolfstraat -
    Kersenmarkt -
    Achter het Vleeshuis -
    Grote Gracht -
    Platielstraat -
    Sint Amorsplein -

     

  • Waste can often be separated. Waste separation is good for the environment and allows you to buy fewer residual waste bags. Waste items that cannot separated before disposal are considered residual waste. Examples include tea bags, cigarette butts and ashes, chewing gum, face masks, tissues and balloons. In the Milieu App, you will find a practical, comprehensive waste separation guide. A yes/no list shows you what to do with each type of waste.

  • You can buy the red and white Maastricht residual waste bags at the shops below:

    Shop
    Address
    Zip code
    Town
    Albert Heijn Brusselse Poort 45 6216 CG Maastricht
    Albert Heijn Burgemeester Cortenstraat 8 6226 CV Maastricht
    Albert Heijn Helmstraat 4-6 6211 TA Maastricht
    Albert Heijn Plein 1992 6221 JP Maastricht
    Albert Heijn Scharnerweg 110 6224 JJ Maastricht
    Supermarkt Rouwenhorst Kasteel Schaloenstraat 40 6222 TP Maastricht
    Cobben Glacisweg 25 6212 BL Maastricht
    Ekoplaza Rechtstraat 48 A 6221 EK Maastricht
    Hannie's Winkelke Kasteel Schaloenstraat 62 A 6222 TP Maastricht
    Jackie Dijk-Rondagh Lage Kanaaldijk 46 6212 AH Maastricht
    Jan Linders Rijksweg 62 A 6228 XZ Maastricht
    Jan Linders Tongerseweg 57 6213 GA Maastricht
    Jumbo Franciscus Romanusweg 2 6221 AE Maastricht
    Jumbo Voltastraat 7 6224 EK Maastricht
    Jumbo Brusselsepoort 19 6216 CE Maastricht
    Jumbo Beekstraat 2 6231 LG Maastricht
    Jumbo Mosae Forum 5-6 6211 DV Maastricht
    Jumbo Roserije 303 6228 DR Maastricht
    Jumbo Malbergsingel 74 6218 AV Maastricht
    Plus Severenplein 24 A 6225 AZ Maastricht
    Plus Clavecymbelstraat 31 6217 CR Maastricht
    Plus Keurmeestersdreef 111 A 6216 ED Maastricht
    Plus De Mandel 7.02 6227 CS Maastricht
    Plus De Beente 86 6229 AV Maastricht
    Prima Baron van Hövellstraat 69 6221 VD Maastricht
    Slagerij Wevers Herculeshof 13 6215 BC Maastricht
    Spar / Supermarkt Garnier Pastoor Moormanstraat 160 6219 AX Maastricht
    Us Winkelke Herbenusstraat 83 6211 RB Maastricht
    Spar City Stationsstraat 9 6221 BM Maastricht
    Spar City  Boschstraat 46-48 6211 AX Maastricht
    COOP Sint Pieterstraat 72 6211 JP Maastricht
  • Put your residual waste bags out after 7.00 pm the day before collection, and before 6.00 am on the morning of collection. The bags should be at the edge of your property and visible from the road. Some streets have a central collection point. 

    Do you live in the city centre?

    The waste collection schedule in the city centre differs from the rest of Maastricht. If you live in the city centre, you can put your residual waste bags outside from 5.00 pm until 7.00 pm on Tuesday. We start collecting household waste at 7.00 pm.

  • Some addresses have a central waste collection point. Only place your waste at the collection point. This enables us to collect your residual or organic waste safely, and disrupt traffic as little as possible.

    Street Central collection point
    Arkebusruwe 1 - 87 (odd) and 6 - 92 (even) Corner of Arkebusruwe / Kurasruwe
      Corner of Arkebusruwe / Blijderuwe
      Corner of Arkebusruwe / Toernooiruwe
    Dassenstraat Weidmanstraat (green strip)
      Dassenstraat (green strip) up to house number 2
    Askalonstraat 7 - 53 (odd) and 10 - 48 (even) Askalonstraat from Sionsweg to Askalonstraat, house number 45
      Askalonstraat from house number 7 into the direction of Populierweg
    Heilige Geest Lamp post near Heilige Geeststraat
    Mariastraat Lamp post Kesselskade
    Jodenstraat Corner of Kesselskade / Jodenstraat
    Smedestraat Corner of Smedestraat / Wolfstraat
      Maastrichter Geis square and het Bat
    Het Bat 2, 4 and 6 Corner of Smedestraat / Stokstraat

    Collection point Eiffelgebouw (Noord-kop): Sphinxcour

    1H01, 1H02, 1H03, 1H04 (6th floor)

    1K01, 1K02, 1K03 (7th floor)

    Three-way junction Boschstraat / Maasboulevard

    Collection point Eiffelgebouw (Zuid-kop)

    Petrus Regoutplein:

    6H01, 6H02, 6H03, 6H04

    6K01, 6K02, 6K03, 6K04

    Three-way junction Boschstraat / Sint Teunisstraat
    Het Lindenkruis Organic waste: Lindenkruis and Maagdendries
    Corner and curve Prinsenlaan / Heerderweg On street corners at Heerderweg
    Corner of Heerderweg / Heerderdwarsstraat Nearest lamp post
  • If you separate waste properly, very little waste will be left to put in the residual waste bag. Organic waste is collected free of charge every week. You can dispose of the following types of waste at every sorting station (for free):

    • Plastic and metal packages and drink cartons (PMD)
    • Glass (clear and coloured)
    • Paper and cardboard
    • Baby nappies and incontinence pads

    If you live in a high-rise building and do not have a balcony or garden, waste separation can be challenging. The waste coaches of our Waste-free Team are always happy to help with tips and personal advice. Call 14 043 or send an e-mail to afvalcoach [at] maastricht.nl (afvalcoach[at]maastricht[dot]nl) to get in touch.

  • We collect waste that quickly gets smelly, especially organic waste, every week free of charge (green bin). You can dispose of plastic, metal packaging and drink cartons (PMD), paper, cardboard, glass, baby nappies and incontinence pads at a sorting station at any time.

  • It has been shown (nationally) that the system of paid residual waste bags results in more separation than the DIFTAR Waste Registration & Identification System using containers, or no DIFTAR system at all. The immediate financial incentive ensures that people separate better and more often. That is why Maastricht is performing so well compared to other larger municipalities. When you separate waste properly, you end up with very little residual waste and there is little need to buy residual waste bags.

    • Tie off your residual waste bag properly before putting it out for collection. Do not put it outside before you are allowed to do so. Together, we can keep the streets clean.
    • Respect the weight limits for residual waste bags. A 25-litre bag may weigh a maximum of 3.5 kilos. A 50-litre bags should weigh no more than 7 kilos.
    • Avoid fines. Do not put out residual waste in any bags other than Maastricht’s red and white residual waste bags.
    • If you have any items of residual waste that do not fit in the red and white bag, you can dispose of them at one of the recycling centres and pay a charge.