Feasibility Study Circular Solid Waste Management System for Utrecht

The city of Utrecht is—next to being among the biggest and fastest growing in the country—one of the frontrunners in the Netherlands’ field of sustainability. When the municipality wanted to transform the mixed zones of light industrial and commercial activities close to the city center into high-density living areas, we came in to support them on this ambitious housing project. 

For this project we investigated the possibilities for a completely circular solid waste system, in which all waste and resources of residents, retail, and other commercial activities are separated and fully recycled. Next to this, the aim is that all necessary logistics for waste collection can simultaneously be used by other logistical services, such as parcel and meal deliveries (reverse logistics). This means that the waste-resources chain starts in the kitchen then flows through the buildings towards intermediate hubs where the waste streams are diverted to several places for the actual recycling. 

Based on a deep-dive into global best practices, our team compiled and evaluated three different options for integrated circular waste collection systems. With the outcome of our research, the municipality has insight into the choices that are necessary to realize its sustainability ambitions. The next step? Further develop the options with the municipality of Utrecht and the developers involved.