Associations and schools in De Wolden are not happy with the municipality’s plan to abolish the collection of old paper by volunteers. They are afraid of losing a major source of income. A sensitive point that the council discussed at length on Thursday evening.
From 1 January it is the intention that the company PreZero will collect the old paper. With this, the municipality hopes to save about 80,000 euros. This amount is then used to reduce the waste levy.
“We feel quite cheated,” says Martijn Mulder of Local Interest Linde. He spoke on behalf of the many associations and schools in the municipality. “It concerns hundreds of euros that associations lose.” According to him, the alderman would contact all parties involved to discuss the proposal, but that has not happened, Mulder said.
Alderman Egbert van Dijk could not agree with the criticism, he says the plans have indeed been communicated. “Last year in the summer there was a meeting and everyone received a report. We only received a few reactions to that, nothing else. We acted carefully.”
Rijk van Omme, who spoke on behalf of Dorpsbelangen Rune, was especially curious why the municipality now wants to implement changes. “Arguments are being made that volunteers cannot be found and that the work is unsafe. There has never been an accident and we have never had any problems finding people to collect. You are shifting the problem.”
He does not think that a small reduction of a few euros on the waste levy is logical. “It may be nice for the residents of the municipality, but because of missing out on money, associations are forced to increase the contribution. Schools can even ask a higher parental contribution for organizing activities. The municipality does not benefit financially from it.”
The intention is that the collectors will be compensated with a phasing-out scheme over the next three years. In 2023 they will receive full compensation, a year later they will receive half and a year later they will receive a quarter. It is then agreed that all parties involved will come up with a plan to provide something in return. For example in the form of activities that contribute something to society.
Politicians agree with that plan, but wonder whether the distribution is fair. There are also associations that do not collect old paper. Koop Drost of the CDA was mainly curious whether compensation is legally possible. “The others have not picked up the paper all those years,” added Van Dijk.
Corné den Hollander of the ChristenUnie wondered what alternative ways would be left to generate income. Councilor Pieter Groot of Municipal Interests suggested that the volunteers should look for new ways together with the municipality.
Eline Kippers of GroenLinks was especially curious about what will happen to the cardboard that will be placed next to the container. The municipality also wants to get rid of that from 1 January. Now the volunteers are still picking it up. “We don’t see people going to landfill very quickly,” she says. The alderman said that most families can still put cardboard packages in the paper container.
It remains an exciting week for the volunteers. The city council will make a decision on the plans on June 30.