Recycling centre of the future

The Netherlands is transitioning towards a more circular approach. As part of this effort, the ”Transitieagenda Consumptiegoederen” has been developed, introducing the concept of the Circular Crafts Center (Circulair Ambachtscentrum). The Circular Crafts Center focuses on higher steps on the waste hierarchy, such as reuse, repair, refurbishment, and conversion into new products or functions.

However, what role does the recycling center play within the Circular Crafts Center?

This research has concluded that the ideal ‘recycling center of the future’ should make it both easy and attractive for visitors to properly separate waste and raw materials. Moreover, the focus is no longer solely on collection but also on dismantling, sorting, and marketing raw materials. Specifically, this means that a much wider range of fractions must be collected separately at the recycling center. The research shows that such activities require more space and that a different approach to communication and additional skills for staff are desired.