From fixed routes to dynamic emptying

Stefan Renes has worked at Cyclus (waste collector in The Netherlands) for 20 years and currently serves as Collection Resources Coordinator. “There’s always a lot happening across the 11 municipalities that Cyclus serves,” says Stefan. “Each municipality has its own policy, but the trend towards more underground waste collection is unmistakable. For example, there’s a project in Krimpen aan den IJssel with 45 underground containers, and in Gouda, reverse collection is being introduced.”

“In my role, I’m responsible for everything related to collection equipment, from wheelie bins to underground compactors. This includes purchasing, inspections, maintenance, and troubleshooting.”

“We still collect glass and paper/cardboard using fixed routes, but residual waste and plastic are emptied entirely dynamically based on fill levels. We currently have 8 underground compactors from Sidcon in use, and that number is growing fast, 9 more are already on order.”

Gaining space in the city

Why choose the underground compactor? Stefan explains: “Saving space is a major reason for us. We need capacity, but we cannot, and do not want to, place extra containers everywhere. The underground compactor is the perfect solution.”

“In Gouda, for example, 3 compactors will soon be installed in a central area where 500 homes are being built. It’s a dense development with many high-rise buildings and limited space. The design is carefully balanced to accommodate living, working, greenery, and water. The compactor creates space for green areas and also reduces traffic.”

Collaboration with Sidcon

“I’m very positive about our collaboration with Sidcon,” Stefan says. “They understand my struggles, think along with me, and are easy to reach. They handle the power supply and installation, and they deliver a product that requires minimal maintenance.”

“For example, we’ve had our compactor for paper and cardboard in use for 3 years now, and it has hardly ever malfunctioned. Okay, twice, but those were minor jams that were quickly resolved.”

“It's either full speed ahead or a complete standstill – that's what makes my job so exciting!”

Looking ahead

Stefan sees many opportunities for the future. “Cyclus wants to become more sustainable. Every new collection vehicle we buy is electric. That means higher costs and a smaller range. The compactor helps enormously in this regard. We don’t have to drive as often, so we use less material. The routes we drive are shorter because the collection vehicles are filled faster.

“What I’d also like to implement is a direct link with the Sidcon portal. We’re not using that yet, but as the number of compactors grows, it will definitely pay off. We’d gain real-time insight into fill levels and malfunctions, directly in our own system. That’s something we’ll be implementing soon.”