What else is changing? Eight questions and answers.
1) Why doesn’t everything stay as it is?
From 1 January 2021, the waste must be collected in the same way throughout the municipality. That is a legal obligation. The municipality of Groningen merged at the beginning of 2019: the former municipalities of Groningen, Haren and Ten Boer then merged.
2) Why doesn’t it turn into diftar?
For a long time it seemed that Diftar would apply in the entire municipality of Groningen. Diftar means that you pay more if you hand in more waste.
However, parties in the city council were unable to reach agreement at the last minute. There comes now a new investigation to the introduction of diftar. If the results of that study are available, it may still be introduced in 2023.
3) I live in Haren, what will change for me?
The changes are most drastic for people who live in the former municipality of Haren. Haren now still pay per kilo of waste they hand in. This will no longer be the case next year: Harenaren (just like residents of the rest of the municipality) will then pay a fixed amount per year.
Haren can now separate their plastic waste, milk and juice cartons and cans in separate. That is no longer possible after 1 January.
4) What will I pay from next year?
No one knows that yet: the city council will discuss the rates in November. There will be three different rates. Single households pay less than two-person households. Households with three or more residents pay more than people who live in pairs.
5) Diftar is not coming, can I throw everything together now?
The municipality is calling on people to separate as much as possible, and is going to place extra glass containers. There will also be extra return points for other waste, such as paper and textiles. In this way, the municipality wants to encourage residents to separate their waste.
People who have a green container just keep it. Some apartment complexes may also have joint organic waste containers.
6) There will therefore be more waste collection points. How much does that cost?
The municipality is investing nearly 2.4 million euros. Paper and possibly glass containers of this money are placed at new apartment complexes with more than 200 homes. Additional paper, glass and textile containers will also be installed in surrounding villages.
7) I am on welfare, what will I pay for my waste later?
Exact amounts are not yet known. In the first three years that you are on social assistance benefits, you pay 43 percent of the amount that other residents pay. If you are still on social security after those three years, you will not pay anything more.
8) What about bulky waste?
Residents of the entire municipality of Groningen will soon be able to dispose of their bulky waste free of charge four times a year. This is already the case in large parts of the municipality, but residents of the former municipality of Haren still have to pay 7.50 euros each time until the turn of the year.
Some parties in the city council wanted bulky waste to be collected from home again for free. Those plans don’t make it.
Also read:
– Groningen council probably opts for diftar, only VVD still has doubts
– Waste in the municipality of Groningen: pay per bag, kilo, or both (not)?
– Groningen residents will pay a lot more for waste collection next year
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