There are concerns about the increased amount of dumped waste since the introduction of a new waste system in Medemblik. Anne de Bruin, who regularly cleans up litter with the ‘Silent Rapers’ group, looks at it with regret. “I find more bags of residual waste than before.”
Silent raper Anne looking for waste (recycling rate) around Medemblik – NH Nieuws
Since 1 January, Medemblik, the first municipality in West Friesland, has been working with the recycling rate. You pay a lower base amount for the waste levy, but you then pay each time you put the gray bin on the road or throw a garbage bag in an underground container.
According to the municipality and waste processor HVC, this should lead to better separation of waste. And if you do that well, you also have to pay less than before. But critics doubt that. In addition, there are concerns that more waste will be dumped as a result.
According to the municipality and HVC, this is not a problem for other municipalities that use the same system. And three weeks after its introduction it was reported ‘that the first’ results promising goods’.
‘They must inform honestly’
The message went down the wrong way from ‘silent raper’ Anne de Bruin, herself living in De Weere in the municipality of Opmeer, on the edge of the municipality of Medemblik. “I wrote a letter to the municipality that they should inform the people honestly.”
Because according to her, and her fellow waste pickers, since the introduction of the tariff, more bags with residual waste have been dumped than before. “The ideas are great. It is nicely specified that there are fewer containers along the road. But people also have to clean up the dumped waste again, which also costs money.”
Burning waste for heating
Anne has not yet received a response from the municipality. But she is not enthusiastic about the new waste system. “Because HVC burns residual waste for district heating. And foreign waste is simply imported for that. So if less comes in because we separate better, but more has to be imported”, what are we doing then?”.
However, she is angry about the people who dump waste. “Those are just fat selves who are too bad to throw it away neatly. Then your moral compass is wrong.” She herself believes that the amount of plastic should be tackled in particular.
tackle plastic
“I heard that worldwide research showed that 84 percent of those polled think plastic is terrible. So legislate on that. Make companies aware of their responsibility and then get to consumers,” said Anne.
Live debate Medemblik
This Friday, March 4, NH Nieuws and regional broadcaster WEFF will jointly broadcast a live debate from the Hemels theater church in Twisk. Discussions are taking place with all parties from the municipality of Medemblik about various topics in the run-up to the elections.
The debate can be seen from 19.30 via a livestream via this website and also on www.weeff.nl† It can also be viewed on WEFF TV (Ziggo: channel 45 and KPN: channel 1359). At NH Nieuws there will be a repeat on TV (Ziggo: channel 30 and KPN: channel 509) on Tuesday 8 March at 9.00 am.
The recycling rate is also a hot topic during the upcoming municipal elections in Medemblik. We presented the following statement to the participating parties: “The recycling rate at which the polluter pays must be exchanged for post-separation (i.e. at HVC) afterwards”. Below you can read the reactions of the parties.
Political party reactions (in no particular order)
Heart for Medemblik
Households may be cheaper with the recycling rate. But experience, for example in Arnhem, shows that residents often lose more money and that there is more nuisance from dumping or that people throw their waste in the green/orange bin. As a result, HVC incurs additional costs, for example by cleaning up the waste dumps and having the recyclable waste separated again. Extra costs that are charged to the municipality, which they then pass on in its waste levy. Hart voor Medemblik is a strong supporter of waste separation and the reduction of residual waste. However, this must be in balance with the ease of use for residents. This can be done by investing in machines that separate the waste. That means no recycling rate, but mechanical post-separation, with post-separation we can separate the waste more efficiently. This is good for the environment and can save society money.
D66
This method has only just been set up, we may do it differently in the future.
CDA
Post-separation is ideal for high-rise buildings, ie in cities. We can pre-separate in our rural municipality, which has the effect that the waste streams retain their value better and the rates go down as a result.
TOMORROW!
Post-separation has a major price-increasing effect. In addition, it makes us all aware to properly separate waste and to benefit from it.
Municipal interests
Going back to the old way of separating waste is not an option and will only make it more expensive for citizens. The tax on household waste is only increasing by the national government. So if we do what we did, we pay more. We do, however, believe that the incentive should be maintained that money can be saved by producing less waste. We agree with the basic principle: the polluter pays. But that should really be the case in the implementation.
GreenLeft
Because, contrary to what some claim, it will be even more expensive. The only municipalities where post-separation worked better were those where things were already going very badly. It has become more expensive because it has been made cost-effective in the budget. If that had happened with the old rate and you then make the comparison, you can put your tank on the road much more often. If it had been cost-effective in 2021, the rate would have been 375 euros. You can now put the box on the road six times and it is still cheaper.
VVD
The waste separation system at source is expensive and cumbersome and can lead to civil disobedience (dumping).
ChristianUnion
The recycling rate represents too much injustice between various groups. Despite the separate target group measures. For the elderly, it is a complicated separation in their small houses. Also, the garbage is not collected enough for these people. Waste is dumped in places where it is not allowed to avoid costs.
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