Residual waste
Bin: Grey containerIncinerated for energy — the most expensive and last option.
Residual waste is what remains once all usable streams are removed. It is not recycled but burned. This is the most expensive stream per kilo — every kilo you take out of it lowers costs and raises the organisation's recycling rate.
This belongs in it
- Chewing gum and cigarette butts
- Paper towels and tissues
- Stirrers and tea bags with staples
- Heavily contaminated packaging
- Vacuum bags and sweepings
- Plasters and disposable masks
This does not belong in it
- Batteries and spray cans — fire risk
- Electronics and cables
- Chemical waste, paint and oil
- Anything that fits another bin
What happens to it?
- 1. Grey container
Residual waste goes into the grey container. The more recyclables it holds, the higher the bill.
- 2. To the waste-to-energy plant
The waste goes to a waste-to-energy plant. In doing so, the waste sector supplies around a tenth of all renewable energy in the Netherlands.
- 3. Incineration with energy recovery
At over 850 °C the waste is burned; the heat released is converted into steam, electricity and heat for district heating.
- 4. Bottom ash and flue gas cleaning
What remains is bottom ash, used after treatment as a building material in road construction. Flue gases are extensively cleaned.
Where is it processed?
Processed at a waste-to-energy plant (AEC) in the Netherlands.
This is what it becomes
Good to know
Rules and legislation
The Circular Materials Plan requires organisations to separate reusable streams before residual waste remains. Incineration itself is governed by separate rules in the Dutch Environmental Activities Decree.
Sources
The figures and rules on this page were checked against the following sources.
- Gescheiden houden van bedrijfsafval en gevaarlijk afvalRijkswaterstaat — Circulair Materialenplan
- Energie uit afval — installatiesVereniging Afvalbedrijven
- Afval(mee)verbrandingsinstallaties (paragraaf 4.4 Bal)Informatiepunt Leefomgeving
Checked on 18 August 2026