Waste guide
We separate our waste in Rotterdam. This is good for the environment as it means that there is little residual waste left. A lot of our waste can be reused, such as paper, glass and old clothing.
Even plastic packaging, drinking cartons, organic materials and cooking oil can be reused.
But only if you put it in the right container! If you do so, we can give the waste a new life. Will you help us? If you are not sure which container to put your waste in, check the information below.
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Translate the pages on this website by pressing the Translate button at the right of every page. Milieu Centraal’s and www.wecycle.nl’s waste guides are not available in English.
Waste guide
Allowed
- Newspapers
- Folders
- Cardboard boxes (including egg cartons)
- Envelopes
- Magazines
- Wrapping paper
- Receipts
Tip: flatten cardboard boxes and only dry and clean paper or cardboard boxes are allowed.
Not allowed
- Milk and drinking cartons
- Dirty takeaway or delivered pizza boxes
- Sandwich bags
- Baking paper
- Throw in the residual waste container.
Allowed
- Bottles and jars
- Transparent toiletry jars
- Perfume bottles
- Glass roll-on deodorant bottles
- Transparent toiletry jars
- Medicine bottles
Tip: glass can be clean or dirty and with lids.
Not allowed
- Windows and mirrors: Take it to a recycling centre or secondhand shop.
- Drinking glasses
- Glass ovenware
- Porcelain or ceramic tableware
- Stone bottles or pitchers.
Take to a secondhand shop or throw in the residual waste container.
Allowed
- Clean and dry clothing (even damaged and worn out)
- Bags
- Curtains
- Quilts and sheets
- Accessories (hats, gloves, etcetera)
- Hand towels and tea towels
- Soft toys
- Shoes
Tip: put it in a plastic bag and tie shoes together.
Not allowed
- Wet and dirty textiles. Throw wet and dirty textiles in the residual waste container.
- Take rugs, floor carpets or hard toys to a recycling centre or secondhand shop.
Allowed
- Vegetable and fruit waste
- Bread
- Leftover food
- Garden and pruning waste
- Flowers and plants without the soil
- Straw and excrement from small pets
- Peanut shells and other nutshells
- Coffee grounds
- Bones and fish bones
- Sea shells
Tip
Don’t use plastic bags with organic waste! Use biodegradable bags with an official compost symbol logo on it.
For free: bring your garden garbage and cut branches to a recycling center or make an appointment to have it picked up via the page Tuinafval.
Not allowed
- Cat litter. Throw this in the residual waste container
- Sand
- Take quantities of excrement/horse manure to a certified collector
- Take large garden to a recycling centre
Allowed
- Plastic packaging
- Drinking cartons
- Tins
- Nappies
- Coffee pods,pads and teabags
- Cat litter
- Dog and cat feaces
Tip
Compress the packaging and use rubbish bags no larger than 60 liters that will fit in the container.
Did you know? A special machine separates plastic packaging, tins and drinking cartons. This way we can recycle better and get more out of these products. Want to know how this works? You can find information at rotterdam.nl/plastic.
- Light bulbs
- Paint
- Batteries
- Medicines
Do not throw small chemical waste away with your residual waste as it is very bad for the environment.
Take this to a recycling centre or return it to the shop you bought it from.
Collection points for light bulbs are listed on wecycle.nl. Link opens an external page.
- Frying oil
- Baking oil
Put used deep frying oil and cooking oil back in the bottle or in another plastic package.
Deliver it to an oil collection point, recycling centre or petting zoo.
The collection points are listed on rotterdam.nl/vet.
Do not dispose of fat or oil down the toilet or the sink as it will cause blockages.
Used cooking fat and oil are used to make biofuel.
- Drying racks
- Fridges
- Large garden waste
- Mirrors
- Broken furniture
Do you have bulky waste? Such as drying racks, fridges, large garden waste, mirrors or broken furniture. Or other items bigger then the waste container? Bring it to a recycling centre. It’s free of charge!
Are you unable to bring bulky waste? Then have them collected free of charge. Make an appointment on Grofvuil wegbrengen of laten ophalen. Link opens an external page or call 14 010.
Construction waste, demolition waste, asbestos, roof tiling, tiles and earth will not be collected. Bring it free of charge to a recycling centre.
Take small electrical appliances free of charge to a recycling centre, petting zoo or the shop where you buy new electronics.
All the collection points and the delivery services that take away old electronics when delivering new ones are listed on wecycle.nl. Link opens an external page.
Large electrical appliances such as fridges, washing machines and other white goods can be taken to the recycling centre or collected free of charge. Make an appointment on rotterdam.nl/grofvuil or call 14 010.
Do you have usable items that you want to get rid of? Give them a second life and take them to a recycling centre or secondhand shop free of charge.
The secondhand shop also collects large items free of charge (note: heavy items need to be brought to the front door at ground level). Make an appointment on hetgoed.nl. Link opens an external page.
Information about the day on which we will empty your garbage bin can be found on mijnafvalwijzer.nl. Link opens an external page.
Or download the free AfvalWijzer app from your app store. You can adjust the settings in the app so that you get a message in advance.
Put your garbage bin on the edge of the pavement or at your collection point between 6.00 and 8.00 hours on the collection day.
If you don’t know where your waste containers are, check this map.
Bring bulky waste and usable items to one of the 7 recycling centres free of charge. The locations and opening hours are below.
- Recycling centres Charlois (Aploniastraat 12), Hillegersberg-Schiebroek (Melanchtonweg 139) and Prins Alexander (Nikkelstraat 131): Monday to Saturday from 9.00 to 17.00 hours.
- Recycling centre Delfshaven (Keilezijweg 15): Tuesday to Saturday from 9.00 to 17:00 and Sunday from 9.00 to 13.00 hours.
- Recycling centre IJsselmonde (Hekendorpstraat 55): Tuesday to Saturday from 9.00 to 17.00 hours.
- Recycling centre Hoek van Holland (Prins Hendrikweg 56) and Rozenburg (Frans Halsstraat 2): Teusday, Thursday and Saturday from 9.00 to 17.00 hours.
The Recycling centres are closed on public holidays.
For more information, see Milieuparken.
- Is the container full, is there waste next to the container or a stuck rubbish bag in the container? Report it on the MeldR-app, or call 14 010 or +31 10 267 16 25.
- By 2050, Rotterdam does not want to have waste anymore. See rotterdamcirculair.com. Link opens an external page. Read more information on the page Afval.
- Any other questions? Call 14 010.
- Check that your waste bag is not stuck on the lid of the container.
- Do not put any waste next to the container.
Still not sure what goes where?
If you want to be sure what goes where, check the Waste guide on afvalscheidingswijzer.nl. Link opens an external page or in the app. Then you know which container to put it all in.
