Waste tax
Every household pays for the collection and processing of waste and materials. This is called the Waste Tax. In 2024, households in the municipality of Uithoorn will pay a fixed rate. Starting 1 January 2025, this will change to a combination of a fixed and variable rate. The fixed rate covers the collection and processing of all waste streams, except residual waste. The variable rate, beginning in 2025, will be based on how many times you dispose of your residual waste. Since processing residual waste is expensive, we can save costs together by reducing residual waste (prevention) and properly separating waste.
- Single-person household in 2024: €323.06
- Multi-person household in 2024: €368.20
- Second mini-container for residual waste: €157.88 (only for residents in ribbon development)
From 1 January 2025, you will be charged each time you use your waste pass. To access the underground residual waste container or each time your residual waste mini-container is emptied. The waste tax will consist of a fixed rate and a rate per disposal (the variable rate). Households will pay at the end of each year. The amount will be based on how many times they use the underground container or how often their mini-container for residual waste is emptied (in ribbon development). A 60-liter trash bag fits into the underground container, and four 60-liter bags fit into the mini-container. This is reflected in the rates. At the end of November 2024, the council will make decisions about all matters related to rates and fees.
The municipality does not profit from the waste tax. The waste budget operates as a ‘closed’ financial system. This means that all costs incurred by the municipality for waste collection and processing are covered by the waste tax revenue. Income from recyclable materials (such as plastic, metal, paper, old appliances, glass et cetera) is deducted from the costs of collection and processing. The remaining costs are divided among households.
The municipal council decided that a recycling rate will be introduced starting 1 January 2025. In addition to a fixed amount for the waste tax residents will pay a variable rate based on their residual waste disposal. At the end of November 2024, the council will make decisions about all matters related to rates and fees (including possible compensation). A presentation about this was given in a committee on 15 May 2024 (in Dutch).
If you have a minimum income, you may qualify for partial remissions from the waste tax. Think you may be eligible? Visit the page on remissions (in Dutch: 'kwijtschelding') on Gemeentebelastingen Amstelland (Amstelland Municipal Taxation) website (in Dutch) for more information.
Until the end of 2024, you do not yet pay for using underground waste containers. A container opening is only registered once the container has been opened and then closed again. If the container is full or defective it will not open. In this case you will not be charged once the fee takes effect after 1 January 2025. If there is an incorrect registration, it will be corrected. You can monitor this via the online portal for household waste and report any issues there.
For more information go to Online portal for household waste.
Some municipalities have faced the so-called ‘Recycling Rate Paradox.’ When a municipality funds fixed expenses with variable income, this can entail risks. To prevent this, the variable rate for residual waste is set in such a way that it fully covers the costs of collecting and processing residual waste. This ensures that residual waste remains a financially closed system within the larger closed system of the total waste budget. This approach eliminates the risk of the ‘Recycling Rate Paradox’ for the municipality of Uithoorn.
Currently, 55% of Dutch municipalities have implemented some form of recycling rate. Research shows that municipalities with a recycling rate perform better in terms of waste management, achieving higher recycling rates and producing less residual waste per household.