Collectors – Waste collection systems assessed and good practices identified
E-MAIL: tjerk.wardenaar@pnoconsultants.com
Laan van Zuid Hoorn 15 | 2289 DC Rijswijk | Netherlands
Website: http://www.collectors2020.eu
WHEN: Implemented in 2017-2020
WASTE MANAGEMENT HIERARCHY: Recycling: Reuse – Reprocessing; Prevention: Replacement – Reduction
TYPE OF INSTRUMENT: Education, information, awareness raising, Regulatory / normative, Voluntary / promotional (e.g.: business support schemes, green public procurement, infrastructure, fiscal measures)
WASTE STREAMS: Municipal waste, Packaging waste, Waste electrical and electronic equipment, Construction and demolition waste, Plastics, Other metals, Paper, Batteries, Bulky waste
About: The best practice COLLECTORS’ main goal is to facilitate the implementation of better performing waste collection systems – and thus enabling a transition towards a European circular economy. Thus COLLECTORS plays a role of:
– Knowledge provider for waste collection in a circular economy by harmonizing and disclosing available information on different waste collection systems and to gain insight into the overall performance of systems
– Facilitator for improving cooperation and participatory approach within or along different value chains and among stakeholders which can lead to more benefits for each value chain player, resulting in a quicker implementation of more efficient use of raw materials and to waste reduction.
– Coordinator for pooling of resources and defining common vision, defining global objectives and strategies requited by the complex nature of the waste management challenge to boost Eco-innovation

The main objective of the COLLECTORS project is hence to harmonize and disclose available information on different waste collection systems; to gain insight into the overall performance of systems; and to support decision-makers in shifting to better-performing systems via capacity-building and establishment of implementation guidelines.
COLLECTORS has formulated four specific objectives:
1. Map, harmonize and disclose existing information on waste collection systems throughout Europe for packaging and paper waste, WEEE, and construction products.
2. Assess the overall performance of waste collection systems in different geographical areas based on comparable data.
3. Stimulate successful implementation of better-performing waste collection systems by providing guidelines and capacity-building for decision-makers.
4. Engage citizens, decision-makers and other stakeholders throughout the project in the validation of project activities and results to ensure the usability of COLLECTORS-output.
Budget: Total cost: EUR 1,498,400, EU contribution: EUR 1,498,400
– identify, harmonize and disclose available information on innovative waste collection systems within Europe (252 waste collection systems identified).
– The information on waste collection systems will be disclosed via a web-based platform that helps decision-makers to find systems that are in line with their needs.
Action Line 2
– increase understanding of the performance of different waste collection systems; taking into account different performance indicators (material quality; social acceptability; economics; environmental effects).
Action Line 3
– support decision-makers in successfully implementing better-performing waste collection systems; by means of guidelines for collection systems for the three waste streams with tailored descriptions for implementation in different geographical regions; as well as providing educational training.
Action Line 4
– ensure strong linkages with existing knowledge and interests of stakeholders along the full value chain.
– the project will rely on multi-criteria decision making and focus groups methodology as proven techniques to gather stakeholder feedback on (preliminary) results.
The project leaflet can be found here
COLLECTORS has a strong circular economy focus, resulting in activities focusing on especially on resource use reduction. On the one hand, this concerns attention for re-use and repair. On the other hand, it aims to improve the circular value chain by ensuring that recyclers/secondary material producers receive high quality secondary resources. Aggregated data is very well available on both national consumption patterns and waste production. The project aims to open up the black-box in between, i.e. the pathways between consumption and waste management. The project implements tools to increase understanding of the urban metabolism (Sankey diagrams, LCA, CBA). Data is collected via European, national and regional databases.
The practice reduces the quantity of waste by mobilizing stakeholders towards better performing waste collection, i.e. stimulating citizens to improve waste separation, and improve secondary material quality. The project focuses especially on closing the loop and therefore takes a full value chain perspective. At present, many waste collection systems perform on a waste push basis (working with quantity targets). COLLECTORS aims to stimulate waste reduction and higher quality waste valorization.
The focus of stakeholder involvement is through face-to-face meetings. In addition, the project makes use of on-line tools, i.e. webinars, data sharing platform, social media, newsletters.

Discussions among decision-makers of various European cities on the role of waste collection in the circular economy (picture taken by the COLLECTORS project)
- Stakeholder mobilisation and interaction
- Harmonization and integration of available information on waste collection systems.
- Contextualization of best practices to stimulate replication of good performing systems.
- Value chain approach to ensure that waste collection practices contribute to the transition towards a circular economy.
- Multi-criteria decision-making approach to ensure that the various dimensions are taken into account at the same time.


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