In Assen, the container with green waste was collected every two weeks, all year round, as a trial. Especially because many people also had a lot of pruning waste in winter. But it costs too much and delivers too little. So the municipality will stop with it from next year.
This means that in the winter the Asser refuse truck drives by once every four weeks to empty the organic waste containers. That is back to the old level, and just as often as the gray container with residual waste is emptied.
Since 2020, Assen residents can put their green waste bin out on the street every two weeks all year round. According to the municipality, there was a need. Even in the winter months, many gardens produced so much pruning waste that emptying once every four weeks was not enough.
Assen wanted to prevent the green waste from disappearing in the gray container, resulting in higher waste processing costs. That is why the garbage truck also came to empty the green bin every two weeks in December, January and February. The higher collection frequency was intended to see whether it would really collect more green waste.
In the winter months, the quantity went up by more than 100 tons per month, from an average of 324 to 427 tons per month. Only, according to the municipality, only half of the green containers are on the street, and they are then filled for a third. The conclusion of the Municipal Executive of B and W is that the increase is too low, compared to all the extra journeys. By way of comparison: in the spring, approximately 1,000 tons per month are collected.
That is why the collection frequency will return to the old level in winter next year. Assen has a solution for residents who do not have enough space for their green waste. They can request a second organic waste container for free or deposit their pruning waste at the environmental park free of charge.