Coffee capsules can go in PMD recycling bins from January 1
Empty and fully coffee capsules can be disposed of in PMD waste bins starting January 1, while empty aerosol cans such as deodorant or hairspray containers will no longer count as residual waste beginning in 2026, producers’ organization Verpact said last Monday. The new nationwide guidelines are intended to make waste separation and recycling easier.
Under the updated rules, households may also dispose of packaging that is partly made of plastic or metal as PMD waste — plastic packaging, metal packaging and beverage cartons. Examples deli meat packaging, plastic puches and bread bags.
Verpact has published a detailed list specifying which items do and do not qualify as PMD waste. The guidelines were developed in cooperation with the Association of Netherlands Municipalities (VNG) and the Dutch Association for Waste and Cleaning Services (NVRD).
The goal of the updated system is reportedly to recover as many raw materials as possible. The cleaner and emptier packaging is when collected, the more effective recycling becomes.
In about 15 percent of municipalities, households are allowed to dispose of PMD waste in residual waste bins, after which it is collected and mechanically separated. In the remaining municipalities, residents are responsible for separating PMD waste themselves.
The list of recyclable waste items is updated regularly. Since early 2023, coffee pads and tea bags have been allowed in organic waste bins.
The Dutch government aims to make the Netherlands fully circular by 2050. An interim target is to cut the use of primary raw materials in half by 2030.
