The Netherlands’ deposit scheme for cans and plastic bottles is costing the four largest Dutch cities an estimated 9.4 million euros annually due to widespread bin damage and surging urban litter caused by people hunting for refundable containers, according to new research by IPR Normag.
The unintended side effects of the deposit system are hitting Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht and The Hague especially hard in central locations, near public transit hubs, and around tourist areas, EenVandaag reports. In these crowded areas, city sanitation workers are forced to replace broken bins and clean up surrounding waste on a daily basis.
The rising costs stem from people searching through trash to collect deposit bottles and cans worth 0.15 cents each. With the introduction of deposits on plastic bottles in 2021 and cans in 2023, littered containers became a form of street currency—transforming city bins into what some call “gold mines.”
Dirk Groot, widely known in the Netherlands as the “Trashminator” for his national efforts to document and clean up litter, told EenVandaag that the system has worked well to reduce roadside waste but has brought major problems in cities.
“Before, the roadsides were full of bottles and cans. There are still people who throw them out, but since the introduction of the 0.15 cents deposit, that trash became worth money. Since then, I find about 80 percent fewer bottles and cans,” Groot told EenVandaag.
But in urban centers, he added, it’s a different story. “You can see where it goes wrong—like here at this metro and bus station in Amsterdam-Noord. These are hotspots where lots of people come together. We all eat and drink on the go now,” he said. “And then you’re already glad if they throw it in the bin at all. Many people think: I bought this can for 2.50 euros, who cares about that 0.15 cents deposit?”
Many of the city’s public bins are now larger to accommodate increasing waste, but that reportedly creates new issues. “You can’t reach into them easily to fish something out, so some people force them open—and that causes a lot of trouble,” Groot told EenVandaag. “There’s a sticker that says you should return your bottles and cans, but where to? There’s no return machine here.”
Though reverse vending machines were promised at train stations, they never appeared, Groot said. “Where are they?”
He also pointed to the unchanged deposit rates as part of the issue. “There hasn’t been an inflation adjustment in 20 years. The 0.25 cents deposit on large bottles has stayed the same since 2002. Some people think: I’m not going out of my way for that small amount.”
According to Groot, some of the people digging through trash bins—often individuals at the lower end of the socioeconomic scale—are performing an unofficial public service. “Luckily, people on the margins of society are helping keep things a bit clean for us. But with those broken bins, they’re creating a new problem.”
Other practical issues make the situation worse. “You often see bins taped shut with duct tape. But birds can still get in, rats climb in. You could easily secure them with a magnet lock instead. That would solve it. No need to break anything.”
Another point is the garbage collection schedule. “Bins are usually emptied early in the morning. That’s not ideal. It would make much more sense at the end of the day.”
Groot believes solutions should come from Statiegeld Nederland, the organization overseeing the deposit system. “They’re sitting on more than 400 million euros paid in deposit money that was never refunded. A huge amount! Let them use that money to buy proper bins for the big cities.”
“They need to invest much more in collection technology,” he added. “Not just in funny stickers or cute ad campaigns with Donnie.”