Waste problem at underground containers

Anyone in need of new furniture need look no further than Zernikestraat, because as one local resident says: “Everything is dumped here: couches, chairs and mattresses.” The waste also attracts homeless people who are looking for deposit cans and therefore tear open garbage bags, which in turn attracts vermin.

The cause of the problem is a mystery to many residents. According to one of the residents, there is more than enough space in the containers, so there is no reason to throw everything next to them. A couple says that in the evenings, cars loaded with waste regularly stop in the street to dump the garbage next to the containers.

Another possible explanation for the problem in Zernikestraat is the new student flat, the municipality reports. When there are new construction projects, residents often do not have a pass, which can make it tempting to just put waste next to the container.

Tackling the problem

The municipality indicates that dumping waste at ground containers has been a problem for years in the entire city. There are also specific locations known that are checked extra often, but the resources to tackle those locations are said to be limited. Employees of waste management company Cure are said to drive around seven days a week with collection vehicles that clean up litter, Cure reports. Residents can also report litter to the municipality, after which the municipality ensures that it is cleaned up. In addition, the company has waste coaches who go into the neighbourhood to inform people how to deal with their waste.

Environmental pass

The municipality of Eindhoven also tries to track down offenders by searching for address details in the waste and imposing a fine on them. However, that is not a long-term solution according to the municipality. “It is a question of mentality. With the environmental pass, everyone can go to the recycling centre twelve times a year for free to dump old furniture.”