Separating waste: plastic packaging, metal packaging and drink cartons
New products can be made from plastic packaging, metal packaging and drink cartons (PMD). Such as crates, drink cans, other packaging and toilet paper. Read below how you can dispose of your PMD.
PMD no longer separate
As of September 2023 the municipality will pick up (collect) PMD in a different way. You are allowed to put plastic packaging, metal packaging and drink cartons in the garbage bag together with your regular household waste. The waste management company will separate the PMD from the household waste at a later moment. This results in more recycled PMD. This way of collecting PMD saves the municipality money. And this way the waste collection costs and waste tax can remain as low as possible.
Nothing will change for neighbourhoods where PMD is collected curbside.
Why does The Hague not collect PMD in every neighbourhood?
Separating PMD works well for homes with their own wheelie bin. These wheelie bins are often standing in neighbourhoods with low-rise buildings. Not every house has space for their own wheelie bins. In that case residents can use the large PMD containers in the neighbourhood.
The large PMD containers in the neighbourhoods are not as effective. When the municipality separates PMD from household waste, it results in more recycled PMD. This is why the large PMD containers are being removed step by step from the neighbourhoods.
What will change?
Since June 2024 the municipality has been changing the PMD containers in stages in the city districts of Escamp, Haagse Hout, Laak en Leidschenveen-Ypenburg.
The PMD containers were already removed or changed in the city districts of Centrum, Loosduinen and Scheveningen in September 2023.
Neighbourhoods where PMD is not collected curbside
Would you still like to separate PMD? You will find the PMD containers within 75 metres of every shopping area. In the Centrum district and in some neighbourhoods in Segbroek, Loosduinen and Scheveningen there are still PMD containers by the shopping centres. In the city districts of Escamp, Haagse Hout, Laak and Leidschenveen-Ypenburg the PMD containers can be found in the neighbourhoods. You can continue to use them as usual.
Neighbourhoods where PMD is collected separately
Do you live in a neighbourhood where PMD is collected curbside? Then nothing will change. You then have a PMD container (wheelie bin) at home which you put out on the street on collection day. See the waste collection days for your street in the Begin link: household waste calendar, end link. .
Changes per city district
Click on your city district to see how PMD collection will be arranged in your neighbourhood.
In the Centrum district you will no longer need to separate PMD as of September 2024. The PMD is permitted in the garbage bag with regular household waste. The waste processing plant will separate it from the household waste later. This will result n more recycled PMD.
Separate disposal of PMD
The PMD containers around shopping areas will remain in place. Shopping areas where the PMD containers will remain standing are:
- Bankastraat
- Kempstraat
- Koningstraat
- Paul Krugerlaan
- Stationsweg
- Turfmarkt
- Zeeheldenkwartier
Nothing will change in the Vogelwijk. In this neighbourhood PMD is collected curbside. The rest of Segbroek no longer needs to separate PMD as of September 2024. The PMD is permitted in the garbage bag with regular household waste. The waste processing plant will separate it from the household waste later. This will result in more recycled PMD.
Separate disposal of PMD
The PMD containers around shopping areas will remain in place. Shopping areas where the PMD containers will remain standing are:
- Appelstraat/Vlierboomstraat
- Fahrenheitstraat/Thomsonlaan
- Goudsbloemlaan
- Reinkenstraat
- Valkenboslaan
- Weimarstraat
Nothing will change in Kijkduin, Ockenburgh, Madestein and Vroondaal. In these neighbourhoods PMD is collected curbside The rest of Loosduinen will no longer need to separate PMD as of the end of September 2023. The PMD is permitted in the garbage bag with regular household waste. The waste processing plant will separate it from the household waste later. This will result in more recycled PMD.
Separate disposal of PMD
The PMD containers around shopping areas will remain in place. Shopping areas where the PMD containers will remain standing are:
- De Savornin Lohmanplein
- Hildo Kroplaan
- Kraayenstein
- Loosduinse Hoofdstraat
- Waldeck
Nothing will change in Duttendel, (part of) Belgisch Park and Westbroekpark. In these neighbourhoods PMD is collected curbside. The rest of Scheveningen will no longer need to separate PMD as of the end of September 2023. The PMD is permitted in the garbage bag with regular household waste. The waste processing plant will separate it from the household waste later. This will result in more recycled PMD.
Separate disposal of PMD
The PMD containers around shopping areas will remain in place. Shopping areas where the PMD containers will remain standing are:
- Dr. Lelykade
- Frederik Hendriklaan
- Tesselseplein
The PMD containers will remain standing at the following 3 spots. These spots are in an area where PMD is collected curbside. Not all residents have a wheelie bin at home in this area. They can dispose of their PMD in these PMD containers:
- Belgischeplein 32
- Doorniksestraat 59
- Han Stijkelplein 29
As of mid-June 2024 the municipality will start removing or replacing the containers in the Leidschenveen-Ypenburg district.
The following changes will be done:
- 9 underground PMD containers will be converted into paper containers.
- 2 underground PMD containers will be converted into household rubbish containers.
- 7 of the 8 aboveground PMD containers will be removed.
All of the containers will get a sticker 2 weeks before they will be removed or replaced. The stickers will state that the containers will soon no longer be for PMD. Once the container is converted, it will state what is allowed to be placed inside.
Separate disposal of PMD
The PMD containers around shopping areas will remain in place. Shopping areas where the PMD containers will remain standing are:
- Ypenburg
- ‘t Hoge Veen
The PMD containers will remain standing at the following 6 spots. These spots are in an area where PMD is collected curbside. Not all residents have a wheelie bin at home in this area. They can dispose of their PMD in these PMD containers:
- Houtkade 11
- Klaverveld 53
- Oude Polderweg 147
- Oude Polderweg 211
- Parelduikersingel 1
- Vrouw Avenweg 650
At the end of June 2024 the municipality will start removing or replacing the containers in the Escamp district.
- 4 aboveground PMD containers will be converted into paper containers.
- 5 aboveground PMD containers will be removed.
- 4 of the 8 underground PMD containers will be converted into household rubbish containers and 2 into paper containers.
- At Stadzijde 22 and Maartensdijklaan 386 the PMD container will be changed into a GFT container.
All of the containers will get a sticker 2 weeks before they will be removed or replaced. The stickers will state that the containers will soon no longer be for PMD. Once the container is converted, it will state what is allowed to be placed inside.
Separate disposal of PMD
The PMD containers around shopping areas will remain in place. Shopping areas where the PMD containers will remain standing are:
- Almeloplein
- Ambachtsgaarde
- Betje Wolffstraat
- De Stede
- Dierenselaan/Apeldoornselaan
- Heeswijkplein
- Leyenburg
- Leyweg
- Parijsplein
- ‘t Hoge Veld
The underground PMD containers will remain standing at the following 3 spots. In this area PMD is collected curbside. Not all residents have a wheelie bin They can dispose of their PMD in these PMD containers:
- Nannie van Wehlstraat 114
- Nannie van Wehlstraat 308
- Treslonglaan 99
At the end of June 2024 the municipality will start removing or replacing the containers in the Haagse Hout district.
- 7 of the 8 aboveground containers will be converted into paper containers and 1 aboveground PMD container will be removed.
- 4 of the 18 underground PMD containers will be converted into household rubbish containers and 14 into paper containers.
Separate disposal of PMD
The PMD containers around shopping areas will remain in place. Shopping areas where the PMD containers will remain standing are:
- Mariahoeve
- Theresiastraat
- Van Hoytemastraat
- Weissenbruchstraat
- Willem Royaardsplein
As of mid-July 2024 the municipality will start removing or replacing the containers in the Laak district.
- 2 of the aboveground PMD containers will be converted into paper containers and 10 aboveground PMD containers will be removed.
- The municipality will decide whether the 4 of the 5 underground PMD containers can be converted into organic waste (GFT) containers. 1 container will be converted into a paper container.
All of the containers will get a sticker 2 weeks before they will be removed or replaced. The stickers will state that the containers will soon no longer be for PMD. Once the container is converted, it will state what is allowed to be placed inside.
Separate disposal of PMD
The PMD containers around shopping areas will remain in place. Shopping areas where the PMD containers will remain standing are:
- Goeverneurplein
- Lorentzplein
- Neherkade/Laakweg
PMD container full?
Is the PMD container full or broken? Begin link: Report it to the municipality, end link. or call tel. 14070. Dispose of your PMD in a different PMD container in the area. Look where these containers are located on the Begin link: map, end link. .
Never place your rubbish next to the container. Birds will peck the bags open, it will attract rats and the street will look dirty. If you do do this, you could get a fine.
What is allowed in the PMD container?
You are allowed to put empty plastic packaging, metal packaging and drink cartons in the PMD container. Such as plastic yogurt containers, plastic fruit containers (punnets) and plastic packaging for vegetables, bread and toilet paper.
Below you will find examples of what is allowed in the container and what is not allowed in the container. Are you in doubt about something? Look at the Begin external link: Afvalscheidingswijzer(External link), end external link. (in Dutch) or dispose of it in the regular household rubbish container.
Plastic bags, sacks and wraps:
- bags
- sacks for bread, pasta, rice, vegetables and candy
- wrap for advertising leaflets and magazines
- packaging for cheese, meat, fish
- packaging with an aluminium coating on the inside, such as chip bags and coffee packaging
Bottles:
- bottles for soft drinks, water or milk
- bottles for laundry detergent, shampoo and soap
- squeeze bottles for sauces
- bottles for oil and vinegar
Cups and containers:
- containers for yoghurt, custard and ice cream
- serving containers for french fries, salad, vegetables and fruit
- tubs for butter, sauce and sandwich spreads
Tubes, jars and lids:
- tubes for toothpaste, cream and lotion
- jars for gel, medicine and vitamins
- plant pots
- plastic lids for glass jars (like peanut butter)
Metal packaging:
- food cans (soup, vegetables, frankfurters, fish, cat food)
- drink cans without a deposit (beer, soft drinks)
- aluminium packaging such as foil, trays and containers
- metal lids and caps (such as beer and soft drink caps)
- steel syrup bottles
- strip packs for pills and chewing gum
- aluminium tea light cups
(Drink) cartons:
- drink cartons for juice, water and wine
- cartons for milk, custard and yoghurt
- cartons for soups and sauces
- packaging containing chemicals, such as pesticides and turpentine
- plastic products and utensils, such as plastic plates, toothbrushes, toys, buckets, electric appliances and garden furniture
- polystyrene foam (styrofoam)
- stoma bags and hypodermic needles
Plastic items which do not belong in the PMD container can be placed in the regular household waste. You can bring large plastic products such as garden furniture and toys at 1 of the Begin link: waste depots, end link. .
See also: Separating waste and recycling