The four largest cities close many garbage containers for New Year’s Eve

The four largest cities in the Netherlands are taking various measures when it comes to garbage collection in order to ensure that it is as safe as possible during New Year’s Eve. The underground garbage containers will be emptied in as many places as possible on New Year's Eve in Amsterdam, the municipality reported. The municipal cleaning staff will also be working on January 1 to collect household and bulky waste.

Amsterdammers are being urged not to put their Christmas trees out on the street on New Year’s Eve as it is a potential fire risk due to fireworks.

The municipality of Rotterdam will close some of the garbage containers around New Year's Eve, and many containers will still be emptied on Tuesday. The advice to Rotterdam residents is to hand in their household waste on time or to keep it at home until January 2, when the containers will open again.

"Do not put your Christmas tree on the street on New Year's Eve or New Year's Day. Prevent fire hazard!" the municipality of Rotterdam warned. Rotterdam residents who bring their Christmas tree to a sports club, scouting club, or playground that participate in the collection campaign will earn 50 euro cents per Christmas tree. The club will also receive that amount.

Many garbage containers have been closed in Rotterdam since mid-December. They will re-open on January 4. The garbage containers will be closed until January 2 in the shopping areas. “Take your garbage home,” was the advice given by the municipality.

There is a ban on the setting of fireworks in Amsterdam and Rotterdam during the new year, but this rule has not been followed by most people during the last few years.

Measures have also been taken in The Hague to limit the number of incidents around the new year. Containers are closed off in some areas of the city, said a spokesperson. “We do this where necessary, mainly in areas of high risk.” The municipality is cleaning bulky waste throughout the city so that it can not be hit by fireworks or set alight.

In Utrecht, no garbage will be collected from homes on New Year's Day. Utrecht will deploy extra staff and equipment on New Year's Eve. On New Year's Day, extra routes will be driven for underground containers with residual waste. There will also be extra efforts on those days on the routes for paper and cardboard. Utrecht will have a fireworks ban for the first time this year.