Diftar stands for “differentiated rates”. Diftar is a system in which the amount of the waste tax is based on the amount of waste that a household presents. Households that produce a relatively large amount of waste therefore pay more taxes than households that produce relatively little waste. The underlying principle of diftar is that the polluter pays. All municipalities in the Netherlands have a duty to ensure that household waste is collected and processed. The costs involved are covered by the waste levy. This is a tax that in principle all residents of the Netherlands pay. However, the way in which this waste tax is calculated differs per municipality. For example, in some municipalities a fixed rate is used whereby every household pays the same amount. In addition, there are also municipalities that apply a differentiated rate, or diftar. Households that offer a relatively large amount of waste pay a higher waste tax than households that offer relatively little waste.
Diftar was first introduced in 1993, in the municipality of Oostza an. In 2019, almost half of Dutch municipalities now have a diftar system. In recent decades, the number of municipalities that use a form of diftar has increased significantly: in 2000, only 10% of municipalities used this system.
What does diftar apply to?
The rules regarding diftar vary per municipality. In general, however, diftar is specifically aimed at household waste and residual waste: the resident must pay per unit or on a frequency basis for offering this waste. Some municipalities also use a diftar system for organic waste. In addition, in some municipalities it is possible to offer plastic waste for free, while in other municipalities plastic waste is considered residual waste.
Forms of diptar
There are different forms of diftar. The waste levy can be based on the weight of the waste, on the frequency of waste presentation or on the volume of waste presented. There are also variations on diftar. For example, since 2016 the municipality of Woerden has had a system in which people do not pay per presentation, but can get money back at the end of the year when little residual waste has been submitted.
Diftar based on weight
The waste levy is determined on the basis of the number of kilos of waste that a household presents. This method is very effective when it comes to reducing the amount of heavy materials in residual waste.
Diftar based on weight/frequency
In municipalities where diftar has been introduced by weight and frequency, residents pay for the number of times they present waste.
Diftar based on volume/frequency
With diftar by volume, the waste calculation is calculated based on the volume of the total waste presented. A special form of diftar in terms of volume and frequency is the so-called expensive bag system: the residual waste must be presented in a special, expensive waste bag that can be purchased through the municipality. The high price of this waste bag discourages residents from offering a lot of waste.
A disadvantage of this method is that people tend to wait before offering waste until the wheelie bin or garbage bag is completely full. This can lead to odor nuisance. In addition, it is often stated that this method is not very fair, as some households have more options for storing waste than others.
Benefits of diftar
Better waste separation
Having to pay for your waste is a direct incentive to separate your waste better. After all, you do not have to pay for materials such as glass and paper. Plastic waste can also be offered free of charge in many municipalities.
Better waste separation leads to more opportunities for reuse or recycling; This means fewer raw materials are needed. Diftar therefore contributes to a more sustainable way of waste processing.
Less waste
In addition to the fact that waste is better separated, the diftar system also has a preventive effect. In their consumption behavior, residents appear to more often opt for products with as little packaging material as possible. Research shows that municipalities that use a diftar system produce more than 40% less waste than average.
Cost reduction
The fact that less residual waste needs to be processed can lead to a reduction in costs for the municipality, and therefore to an average lower waste levy for residents. In addition, because better separation takes place, the waste can be used as a new raw material.
Justice
Diftar is seen as a fair system, because as a resident you only pay for what you actually use. This discourages the provision of a lot of waste, while it is encouraged to limit the amount of waste that a resident produces.
Disadvantages of diftar
Dumping of waste
Sometimes it happens that residents dump their waste in order to avoid the waste tax. This dumping can happen in different places: in public waste bins, next to underground containers, in nature or even in the neighbor’s container. These illegal waste dumps can partly be prevented by special containers and container locks and stricter enforcement. Nevertheless, illegal waste dumping remains a problem in many municipalities with a diftar system. In addition to the fact that this waste can cause a lot of nuisance, it also costs the municipality a lot of money to clean up this waste.
Start-up costs
Introducing a diftar system costs a lot of money. For example, all (underground) containers and bins must be equipped with chips that register how often or how much waste each household presents. Additional enforcement and supervision also result in higher costs.
Fairness of the system
Depending on the diftar method used, the difference in waste tax is sometimes seen as unfair. For example, with diftar by frequency, residents with a garden, shed or garage have more options for storing waste than residents in an apartment. Separating waste is also more difficult in small homes. In addition, certain population groups would be particularly affected. For example, families with young children, the elderly and chronically ill often produce a relatively large amount of waste.