In this video, we explain in a few steps how to separate company waste.

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Business.gov.nl
Information for entrepreneurs.
Step-by-step plan: separating company waste.

Host Claire King:

From paper and plastic to textiles.
Your company doesn't just produce goods or deliver services.
It also produces waste.
You must separate company waste. But how do you go about it?
In this video, I will guide you through what you need to know and the steps to take.

Let's start with step one: Check which waste you must separate.

This depends on your situation.
For example, how big is your company and how much waste do you produce?
If you run a small business, you may not have enough room for waste containers.
This means you don't have to separate your waste or you may have a loss of one type of waste only once.
For example, if you buy new company clothing and throw away the old.
Want to find out quickly which types of waste you need to separate?
Fill out the company waste separation tool on Business.gov.nl and see which rules apply to you.

We move on to step two: Decide whether you want to separate more waste.

You can choose to separate more types of waste than you are required to because you want to contribute to a better environment, for example or because it's cheaper to have your waste collected separately.
Make a list of the types of waste you regularly have in your company and come to an arrangement with your waste collection company based on that list.
Do you throw away a lot of packaging material?
Talk to your suppliers about finding a way to reduce it.
Packaging can be recycled and reused.
You can have your plastic packaging material, drink cartons and glass collected for free via the afvalgoedgeregeld.nl website.

On to step three: Try to find partners.

It may be cost efficient to partner up with other businesses when you close a deal with the waste collection company.
Potential places to look for partners are a business association a company investment zone or your sector organisation.

Moving on to step four: Talk to more than one waste collection agency.

Which type of waste is collected by whom?
That depends on the region. In some areas
company waste that resembles household waste is collected by the municipality.
Talk to more than one waste collection agency and find out what your options are.
That way you will find the waste collection agency best suited to your situation.

Time for step five: Enter into a contract with a waste collector.

Your company waste must be collected by a recognised waste collector.
Check which waste collectors are recognised in the national VIHB list.
The list of transporters, collectors, traders, and mediators.
Do you use rolling containers or compactors?
Discuss your choice of containers for waste storage and collection with your waste collector and how often they are emptied.

Now for the final step: Make it as easy as possible to separate waste.

Make it as easy as possible for your staff and visitors to separate waste.
Use clear, separate waste bins and put these in logical places.

Try to prevent contamination of the waste.
If there is too much of the wrong type of waste in the container the processor cannot recycle it.
So make sure everyone in your company knows which waste products go in which waste bin.
Please note, if your business situation changes, so does your waste.
Make sure to check from time to time that you are still complying with the rules.
Do you want to start making a new product for example or do your sales skyrocket?
Then you may have different or more company waste.

Now you know which steps to take to separate your company waste correctly.
Do you want to know more? Go to Business.gov.nl.

A title appears on screen.
Business.gov.nl 
Information for entrepreneurs.