72 Dutch municipalities and 1 supermarket chain call for expansion of deposit return scheme

The first Dutch province, North Brabant, also joins the movement. Ekoplaza is the first supermarket chain to speak out in favour of a deposit scheme and join the alliance.

Support for deposits is growing rapidly. The Deposit Alliance launched at the end of November. The total number of organisations, businesses and municipalities that have joined the Dutch-Belgian initiative now stands at an impressive 216 partners. That is more than a doubling in less than a month.

The demand of all these partners to the government is the same: "Introduce deposits on all plastic bottles and cans in 2018." Pressure on the Rutte cabinet and members of the House of Representatives to decide to expand deposits is therefore increasing. On 15 March, the House of Representatives will hold a General Consultation on deposits.

Ekoplaza, a Dutch organic supermarket chain with 75 branches in the Netherlands, an online shop with nationwide delivery, and also the largest organic chain in the Benelux, is the first retailer to join the Deposit Alliance. In doing so, the supermarket chain is the first to respond to the growing consumer demand for sustainability and a local circular economy. Ekoplaza is thus becoming a frontrunner in the movement towards a circular economy.

The support of a supermarket chain also shows that respect for the environment and doing business can go hand in hand perfectly.

Greenpeace Netherlands, Natuurmonumenten, LandschappenNL, Stichting Het Pieterpad and various environmental federations in the Netherlands are also strengthening the alliance.

The number of Dutch towns and municipalities is rising rapidly. Following 1 Dutch municipality, Weert, at the start of the Deposit Alliance in November, and 29 municipalities at the beginning of January, there are now already a total of 72 Dutch municipalities partnering with the Deposit Alliance.

Together, they account for more than 6 million residents. Of the 20 largest Dutch municipalities, 13 are already participating. Furthermore, Arnhem and Nijmegen are not yet on the list but have already approved joining in their municipal councils. The Deposit Alliance has therefore spontaneously led to explicit administrative and political processes in dozens of Dutch municipalities. They believe that permanent clean-ups are a drop in the ocean, and that deposits must finally provide a structural solution.

This unprecedented movement, highly diverse and spanning the Dutch-Belgian border, shows that litter bothers a great many businesses, organisations and municipalities. All political parties in certain municipalities have already voted to join the deposit alliance. Often, the vote in favour is unanimous.

Expectations for the General Consultation of the House of Representatives on 15 March are therefore high. All 216 partners of the Deposit Alliance are asking the members of the House of Representatives to vote in favour of extending deposits to cans and small plastic bottles.

This is the list of Dutch organisations, businesses and municipalities that joined in the month of January.

NB: This list was closed on 31 January. New registrations are received daily and are carefully verified. Therefore, there are still new registrations being processed (for example, from dozens of municipalities that have already voted to join but have not yet formally registered). These will be communicated at the end of February.

The full list of all partners can be found at https://statiegeldalliantie.org/2017/11/de-partners-van-de-statiegeldalliantie/

The new partners in Flanders will be published on Thursday 8 February.

Local authorities joined in January

Municipality of Alblasserdam

20,005 residents

Municipality of Alphen aan den Rijn

108,915 residents

Municipality of Amersfoort

154,712 residents, decided by the Mayor and Aldermen

Municipality of Amstelveen

89,608 residents

Municipality of Apeldoorn

160,047 residents, on the initiative of D66

Municipality of Assen

67,551 residents

Municipality of Bergen op Zoom

66,164 residents, decided by the Mayor and Aldermen

Municipality of Beuningen

17,210 residents

Municipality of Culemborg

27,904 residents, decided by the Mayor and Aldermen

Municipality of Deventer

99,311 residents, on the initiative of D66

Municipality of Dinkelland

26,244 residents, on the initiative of D66

Municipality of Drimmelen

27,000 residents, on the initiative of CDA and Groen Drimmelen (VP/D66)

Municipality of Ede

113,421 residents

Municipality of Gouda

71,916 residents

Municipality of Groningen

202,636 residents, on the initiative of D66

Municipality of Heemskerk

39,171 residents, on the initiative of D66

Municipality of Hillegom

21,486 residents

Municipality of Hollands Kroon

52,511 residents, decided in the municipal council

Municipality of Kampen

52,777 residents, decided in the municipal council

Municipality of Leiderdorp

27,128 residents, on the initiative of GroenLinks

Municipality of Lelystad

77,000 residents, decided by the Mayor and Aldermen

Municipality of Leudal

35,878 residents

Municipality of Leusden

29,700 residents, on the initiative of CU-SGP, GL-PvdA and D66

Municipality of Lingewaard

46,185 residents

Municipality of Meppel

33,155 residents, decided by the Mayor and Aldermen following a call from the

The first Dutch province, North Brabant, also joins the movement. Ekoplaza is the first supermarket chain to speak out in favour of deposits and join the alliance.

Support for deposit schemes is growing rapidly. The Deposit Alliance launched at the end of November. The counter of the total number of organisations, businesses and municipalities that have joined the Dutch-Belgian initiative now stands at an impressive 216 partners. That is more than a doubling in less than a month.

The demand of all these partners to the government is the same: "Introduce deposits on all plastic bottles and cans in 2018." Pressure on the Rutte cabinet and members of the House of Representatives to decide to expand deposit schemes is therefore increasing. On 15 March, the House of Representatives will hold a General Consultation on deposits.

Ekoplaza, a Dutch organic supermarket chain with 75 branches in the Netherlands, an online shop with nationwide delivery, and also the largest organic chain in the Benelux, is the first retailer to join the Deposit Alliance. In doing so, the supermarket chain is the first to respond to the growing consumer demand for sustainability and a local circular economy. Ekoplaza is thus becoming a frontrunner in the movement towards a circular economy.

The support of a supermarket chain also shows that respect for the environment and doing business can go hand in hand perfectly.

Greenpeace Netherlands, Natuurmonumenten, LandschappenNL, Stichting Het Pieterpad and various environmental federations in the Netherlands are also strengthening the alliance.

The number of Dutch towns and municipalities is rising rapidly. Following 1 Dutch municipality, Weert, at the start of the Deposit Alliance in November, and 29 municipalities at the beginning of January, there are now already a total of 72 Dutch municipalities partnering with the Deposit Alliance.

Together, they account for more than 6 million residents. Of the 20 largest Dutch municipalities, 13 are already participating. Furthermore, Arnhem and Nijmegen are not yet on the list but have already approved joining in their municipal councils. The Deposit Alliance has therefore spontaneously led to explicit administrative and political processes in dozens of Dutch municipalities. They believe that permanent clean-ups are a drop in the ocean, and that deposits must finally provide a structural solution.

This unprecedented movement, highly diverse and spanning the Dutch-Belgian border, shows that litter bothers a great many businesses, organisations and municipalities. All political parties in certain municipalities have already voted to join the deposit alliance. Often, the vote in favour is unanimous.

Expectations for the General Consultation of the House of Representatives on 15 March are therefore high. All 216 partners of the Deposit Alliance are asking the members of the House of Representatives to vote in favour of extending deposits to cans and small plastic bottles.

This is the list of Dutch organisations, businesses and municipalities that joined in the month of January.

NB: This list was closed on 31 January. New registrations are received daily and are carefully verified. Therefore, there are still new registrations being processed (for example, from dozens of municipalities that have already voted to join but have not yet formally registered). These will be communicated at the end of February.

The full list of all partners can be found at https://statiegeldalliantie.org/2017/11/de-partners-van-de-statiegeldalliantie/

The new partners in Flanders will be published on Thursday 8 February.

Local authorities joined in January

Organisations and businesses joined in January