Much more often than in other cities, refrigerators left on the street are knocked over in Amsterdam, releasing harmful refrigerant gas into the atmosphere. This is due to the way in which the town collects large amounts of waste, where the discarded coolers are placed on the road on certain days.
The Agency for Representative Responsibility for E-waste of the Netherlands (OPEN) warns about this. “The gas emitted per refrigerator is equivalent to CO2 emissions compared to driving 2,400 kilometers in a car,” the foundation said. “This is equivalent to 50 trips around the world by car every year.”
The compressor pots of the refrigerators are being illegally removed to be sold as scrap. This happens four times more often in Amsterdam than the national average, according to figures from OPEN. The foundation recommends stronger cooperation between cities, especially since this is going much better in Rotterdam, for example.
No more fixed days
The city has announced that they are already working on organizing bulk waste collection in a different way. No longer on fixed days, but throughout the city by appointment. “White goods are also collected separately at the agreed time and place. We also want to encourage residents to take more items to the municipal recycling center themselves instead of putting them on the street as rubbish. “
The city also points out that importers and manufacturers of electrical appliances are responsible for waste management. “For example, it is possible to donate or return your old device to the store when you buy a new device.”
2024-04-30 18:54:00
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