Dumpster Diving Guide To Amsterdam
Amsterdam is a funny one when it comes to Dumpster Diving in Amsterdam. You will find most people doing it every day and they’re searching for plastic bottles, it’s a form of dumpster diving although very niche to the Netherlands as not many other countries do a “buyback scheme” for plastic bottles, even though they should.
Is Dumpster Diving illegal In Amsterdam?
At our last check yes, dumpster diving in Amsterdam is illegal. Which means anyone who is visiting the city we would advise you do not go dumpster diving. There are new rules and you don’t want issues with the law in a different country.
Amsterdam Bin Diving For Bottles
Bin diving, also known as “dumpster diving,” refers to the act of retrieving discarded items from waste containers, specifically looking for reusable or recyclable bottles. In a city like Amsterdam, where recycling is a priority, many individuals take to searching through recycling bins or public waste containers to collect bottles that can be repurposed, reused, or returned for a deposit. In the Netherlands, bottles often come with a deposit fee, which means returning empty bottles can generate a small refund. This encourages people to search for discarded bottles to reclaim their deposit and help reduce environmental waste.
Financial Incentives: In the Netherlands, many bottles—particularly glass and plastic ones—are subject to a deposit scheme. The return of bottles to designated collection points offers a small financial reward, making bin diving appealing to individuals looking to earn a bit of extra money. For some, this is a way to make ends meet while benefiting the environment.
However, although you will see a lot of folks that live in Amsterdam bin diving, we still suggest that you give it a miss. These people are known for their bin diving and you’ll find that most of the time they avoid areas where they may cause issue. Upon recent visits to Amsterdam, the number of bin divers has increased exponentially, bin diving however is easy to do as most tourists do not use the deposit scheme and just throw their bottles away.
Where To Dumpster Dive In Amsterdam?
Here’s one of the main issues with Dumpster Diving in Amsterdam, there isn’t anywhere to do it. Shops won’t throw away bottles, as you can get money back from them, and Amsterdam is a low-waste country meaning they avoid throwing away as much as possible.
It’s also worth noting that residential places are impossible to dumpster dive, this is because they have “street bins” where they can dispose of all of their waste into separate bins. You have some for cardboard, glass bottles, residential waste and more. You cannot get into them and the rubbish is literally underground after they’ve been used.
Our Advice For Dumpster Diving In Amsterdam
Don’t do it. It’s not worth getting caught and in trouble with the police in Amsterdam. Have you seen the police in Amsterdam? I’m pretty sure you won’t be able to outrun them! You will see many bin divers and maybe want to give it a go yourself, but honestly, it’s not worth the risk or so little of a reward!
