Municipality: Understanding paper recycling obligations

Questioner

I have a question about whether the municipality distributes paper containers. Now I don't want any since I have almost no paper and what I do have always has to be taken away myself. So I contacted the municipality to say that I wanted to refuse the container, but now they say that this is not possible. Still, I find it strange because I am obliged to rent the container, so I pay for it, why should I pay for something I don't want and can they force me to do this?

Lawyer

The municipality is responsible for the 'efficient collection and transport of household waste', as stipulated in the Environmental Management Act. This means that the municipality collects the waste from households (collects) and then removes it for processing (transport). As a resident, you are also a household. Companies must take care of their own waste. For efficiency, it is important that the municipality can be somewhat practical with the collection of waste. I suspect that the municipality distributes the paper containers to the residents for that reason. Too much 'customization' is not practical. This also applies to public lighting, for example: someone who is never on the street at night will not need it. Others will. So: yes, you will have to cooperate, even if you never fill your container, since you do not produce any paper waste.