Vegetable, fruit, garden and food waste

Why should I separate my GFT+E waste?

GFT+E waste is easy to recycle. We use your GFT+E waste and garden clippings to make compost.  Compost improves the health of our soil, which is good for the environment. Local farmers use it on their fields or manufacturers mix it into bags of potting soil. By separating your GFT+E waste, you contribute to nature's way of recycling.

Separating your GFT+E waste also saves you money. The less organic material ends up in your residual waste, the fewer residual waste bags you need to buy.

Separating GFT+E waste also helps prevent odours, keeping vermin out of your home. Together we can keep Maastricht a clean and pleasant place to live.

Did you know that food scraps still often end up in the residual waste bag? About 35% to 40% of the waste in residual waste bags consists of food scraps. We can all do our part to improve recycling rates.

Can biodegradable packaging go with GFT+E waste?

Biodegradable plastic packaging is residual waste, and does not go in the GFT+E container (contrary to popular belief). Biodegradable plastic does not compost fast enough to make compost, and contaminates the recycling process. 

You can use a biodegradable liner to keep your GFT+E container clean. Please note: only use bags with a seedling logo or OK-compost logo.

What happens to the waste from my GFT+E container?

We take the GFT+E waste from your container to the composting facility at Maastricht Beatrixhaven. It is turned into compost and sent to local farmers or potting soil manufacturers. The potting soil may be sold at garden centres. Compost improves the soil and makes it more fertile.

What happens to GFT+E waste if I put it in the residual waste bag?

The waste in the residual waste bag ends up at the waste incineration plant. If you do not separate your GFT+E waste, we cannot recycle it. We can only turn it into compost if you put it in your GFT+E container. Compost helps keep the soil healthy, which is better for the environment.

Can't the municipality just separate/sort my waste at the plant?

Post-collection separation is difficult, because unsorted (residual) waste is usually sticky and contaminated. Even when post-collection separation is possible, the quality of the isolated waste is often poor, making it more difficult to recycle. GFT+E waste cannot be sorted after collection because it is too damp. It is contaminated by other waste and no longer suitable for composting. Maastricht has opted to sort as much waste as possible beforehand, so that more and cleaner reusable waste is left.

Am I required to separate my GFT+E waste?

Yes, this has been laid down in the Municipal Waste Management Ordinance (Article 9 paragraph 1 and Article 10 paragraph 2).

The table below shows what goes in your GFT+E container,  and how to dispose of other types of waste. 

In the Milieu App you will find a practical, comprehensive waste sorting guide. A yes/no list tells you what to do with each type of waste.

How do I request a GFT+E container?

If you do not have a green caddy or wheelie bin yet, or if you want an extra bin, request it online using your DigiD or call 14 043. You can choose between a caddy (25 litres) and a wheelie bin (140 litres).

What should I do if my green caddy or wheelie bin is broken?

If your GFT+E container is broken, we will repair or replace it. Ask for a repair or replacement (using your DigiD).

I have a GFT+E container but I don’t use it. Can I return it?

No. Everyone in Maastricht is required to separate their GFT+E waste. Every flat or house must have a green caddy or wheelie bin, even if you do not use it. If you move, you must leave the GFT+E container behind.

How do exchange my GFT+E container for one of another size?

You can exchange your wheelie bin or caddy for one of another size (25 or 140 litres). Request this online using your DigiD. 

I would like to have more than 2 green caddies or wheelie bins. How can I arrange this?

2 wheelie bins are usually enough, especially since we collect GFT+E waste every week. Remember that you can also put out 2 bundles of garden clippings every week for collection. A maximum of 2 caddies or wheelie bins per household also allows us to make waste collection as efficient as possible.

2 bins may not be enough in some cases (e.g. if you have a very large garden and a lot of garden waste). In that case, you can take the excess garden waste to the recycling centre, or you can ask for extra bins. You will be charged extra for each additional bin. The rates are as follows:

• € 35,00 for every extra 25-litre green caddy
• € 45,00 for every extra 140-litre green wheelie bin

What should I do if my green caddy or wheelie bin goes missing or has turned up again?

You can report a missing or found bin online using your DigiD.

Can I have a green wheelie bin or caddy for my company, association, foundation or allotment?

Yes, as long as your GFT+Ewaste is the same as any household GFT+E waste.  You can request a caddy or wheelie bin online (using your DigiD) or by calling 14 043. Please note that you will have to pay afvalstoffenheffing (waste disposal tax).

I live in a high-rise building. Can we get a shared wheelie bin for our building?

This is possible in some cases. Please call 14 043 or send an email to afvalcoach [at] maastricht.nl (afvalcoach[at]maastricht[dot]nl).

When can I put my green caddy or wheelie bin out?

You can put your green caddy or wheelie bin out from 7.00 pm on the day before collection. Some streets have a central collection point. We start emptying the containers in the early morning. Please, therefore, put your caddy or wheelie bin on the street no later than 6.00 am. Take the container inside the same day once it has been emptied. 

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 green caddy or wheelie bin outside from 5.00 pm until 7.00 pm on Tuesday. We start collecting GFT+E waste at 7.00 pm.

How many caddies and wheelie bins can I put out at once?

You can put all your green caddies and wheelie bins outside at the same time, provided they are microchipped.

My GFT+E container hasn't been emptied. How come?

There may be a number of reasons why your green caddy or wheelie bin has not been emptied:

• Your caddy or wheelie bin was too heavy. A caddy may weigh up to 7 kilos, a wheelie bin may weigh no more than 75 kilos.
• You did not put your container out in time on your scheduled collection day.
• There was something in the caddy or wheelie bin that did not belong there. Residual waste or plastic bags without a seedling logo or OK-compost logo will not be collected.  Your green container should only contain GFT+E waste.
• The contents of your caddy or wheelie bin were stuck or frozen.
• The biodegradable liner with the seedling logo or OK-compost logo was taped or tied to your caddy or wheelie bin.
• Theliner in your caddy or wheelie bin was non-biodegradable or did not have a seedling logo / OK-compost logo. Black rubbish bags or other rubbish bags made from crude oil and other recyclates do not belong in the green caddy or wheelie bin.
• The collection crew could not reach your caddy or wheelie bin (e.g. because it was behind a pole, fence or vehicle).
• The cover on your caddy or wheelie bin was not closed. Please make sure no waste is sticking out of the container.

Has your container not been emptied through no fault of your own? Report it online. Please note: we do not follow up on reports of improperly emptied containers when it is freezing outside.

Can I have my GFT+E container emptied more than once a week?

No, it is not possible for us to collect GFT+E waste and garden clippings more than once a week while keeping the costs reasonable. The environmental benefits would no longer outweigh the costs if we did. You can take surplus garden waste to a recycling centre.

Do I have to pay to have my GFT+E container emptied?

No. We can make good use of GFT+E waste by turning it into compost. We want to encourage everyone to separate their GFT+E waste. Hence we collect it free of charge every week, from every household in the city.

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

How can I dispose of my garden clippings?

You may place 2 bundles of garden clippings outside with your green caddy or wheelie bin every week. The bundles should measure no more than 150 cm in length and 50 cm in diameter, and should weigh no more than 25 kilos. Use sisal or cotton twine to tie up the clippings. You may not put out tree trunks and other bulky garden waste with your GFT+E container. You can dispose of bulky garden waste for free at your nearest recycling centre. You can also put twigs and small branches in your green caddy or wheelie bin. Please cut them down to size, so that the caddy or wheelie bin closes properly and can be emptied easily. 

What about larger branches or other wood waste?

Please do not put out thick branches/trunks, tree stumps or wood waste out for collection. You must dispose of these at the recycling centre.

Prevention is better than cure

On average, households in the Netherlands throw away 34 kg of food per year. Shop efficiently so that you end up throwing away as little food waste as possible. If you separate your waste properly, you will save on rubbish bags.

Keeping your GFT+E container clean and fresh

• Put your GFT+E container in the coolest possible place, out of the sun. This helps prevent unpleasant odours developing and attracting insects.
• Put your GFT+E container out every week, even if it is not completely full.
• Place some old newspaper or a layer of straw at the bottom of the GFT+E container to prevent caking of waste; this also prevents freezing in winter.
• Only throw dry waste in the container. Let cut grass dry for a day and let wet food waste (such as coffee pads) drain first.
• Wrap meat and fish leftovers in newspaper. This will keep flies away.
• Use a biodegradable bag (only those with a seedling logo or OK compost logo). Do not tie a knot in it. Only then can the bag compost properly at the processing plant.
• Are you bothered by smells? An occasional handful of sawdust can absorb moisture and odours.
• Clean your GFT+E container regularly.

Cleaning your GFT+E container

• Use boiling water and a splash of vinegar or biodegradeable soap.
• Pour the dirty suds into a bucket and empty it inside.
• You can also use a broom, scrubber or pressure washer. 
• Let the container dry with the lid open before putting in new GFT+E waste.
• Do not use aggressive cleaning agents such as chlorine. These disrupt the composting process of GFT+E waste.
• Do not throw the dirty suds outside or on the street. The drain on the street runs straight into surface water in many neighbourhoods.

Fruit flies

Fruit flies: out of nowhere they seem to pop up and swarm around the kitchen, especially in summer. They reproduce quickly and descend on rotting or fermenting food. But fortunately, there is something you can do about it.

• Eat fruit before it becomes overripe or store it in the fridge if you can (not all fruit can stand the cold).
• Do not leave overripe fruit or fruit with rotten spots.
• Keep flies from reaching fruit with a fly cover.
• Clean your sink, dining table and hob regularly and rinse dirty glasses immediately. Do not use fruit-scented detergents. Fruit flies actually like that.
• Have the GFT+E container emptied every week (free of charge) and put it in a cool place (out of the sun).
• Put a fragrant herb plant near the fruit. Fruit flies don't like the smell of basil, dill or sage. Or put some cloves, garlic or sprigs of lavender among the fruit: they don't like that smell either. You can also do this with your GFT+E container.
• Open windows or doors, fruit flies don't like draughts.

Maggots

Flies and mosquitoes are drawn to food leftovers to lay their eggs. Especially in higher temperatures, these eggs hatch quickly, producing maggots, also known as larvae. The GFT+E container provides an ideal environment for maggots, especially when it's warm and humid.

What can you do to prevent maggots?

• Place your GTF+E container in as cool a place as possible and certainly not in full sunlight.
• Have the GFT+E container emptied every week, even if it is not completely full. This service is free of charge.
• Clean the GFT+E container regularly after emptying and let it dry well.
• Keep the lid tightly closed to prevent flies from entering.
• Do not throw meat or fish scraps loose in the GFT+E container but use a piece of newspaper or a biodegradable bag with a seedling logo or OK compost logo. This way the fly cannot reach the meat or fish scraps to lay eggs in them.
• Add a layer of straw or a sheet of newspaper at the bottom of the empty container. This will help absorb any moisture. A single sheet of scrap paper with the GFT+E waste won't hurt.

And what if you have maggots, how do you get rid of them?

• Place the GFT+E container with the lid open in full sunlight. Maggots dislike sunlight.
• Place a sprig of ivy in the GFT+E container. This plant is toxic to maggots.
• After emptying, clean the GFT+E container with boiling water and a splash of vinegar. Even if the container looks clean, fly eggs, which are invisible to the naked eye, might still be present.

How do you prevent GFT+E waste from freezing?

• Put newspaper or a layer of sawdust at the bottom of the GFT+E container
• Place the GFT+E container out of the wind, e.g. in a shed or garage;
• Do not compact the waste;
• Drain wet food waste first and then wrap it in paper;
• When it freezes, throw as little leaf and garden waste as possible in the GFT+E container;
• On the day of collection, carefully loosen the waste from the edge with a shovel (be careful, as the GFT+E container is more fragile than usual due to the cold);
• Has your GFT+E container not been emptied? Then offer it again on the next collection day.