Pilot brings solution for commercial waste

Commercial waste is a challenge that many entrepreneurs in urban areas face on a daily basis. The streets full of trucks, each driving their own route, not only cause congestion and pollution, but also make sustainable mobility difficult.

Loes van de Looveren, owner of Bakkertje Bol, shares how she has been working with entrepreneurs from the street for years to solve the waste problem in the city center and what role Brainport Bereikbaar played in finding an innovative solution. 'Thanks to the collaboration, a new pilot is coming and the solution seems within reach.'

KCan you tell us about the waste problem you faced as an entrepreneur?

Loes van de Looveren: 'Certainly! As the owner of Bakkertje Bol, a business in the middle of the city, we produce quite a lot of waste every day, such as packaging, food waste and cardboard. According to the rules, we as entrepreneurs are responsible for our own waste. But that's where it went wrong: we couldn't find a solution with the municipality to place our waste containers in the public space, while we simply don't have any space indoors.'

'Last year, the situation became more urgent. Residents and property owners started complaining about the litter on the streets. That led to enforcement, after which my company and many fellow entrepreneurs were granted an exemption for one year. That gave us time to find a structural solution. But one thing was clear: containers in public spaces were definitely off the table. The question remained: what then?'

What then?

'With the arrival of the zero-emission zone, it has become even more important to find sustainable solutions for waste collection together,' Loes emphasizes. And that is why, with the help of Brainport Bereikbaar, an innovative solution was created: a shared collection service that drives electrically and collects the waste according to a smart route. 'The idea sounded great, but we didn't really know how to approach it,' says Loes. 'Brainport Bereikbaar put us in touch with logistics experts and helped us set up a pilot.'

The pilot will start soon and expectations are high. 'We can already see that this system not only reduces the number of large freight movements in the city centre, but also solves the problem of public space for entrepreneurs,' says Loes. 'And because the collection service is electric, we all contribute to a cleaner city.'

How did Brainport Bereikbaar come into the picture?

'I met Melanie Modderman of Brainport Bereikbaar through a working group of the municipality. She has experience with sustainability projects and saw opportunities to tackle the problem more broadly. Together we looked at possible solutions and that is now ultimately leading to a pilot project with a new waste collection service.'

What exactly does this pilot entail?

'The pilot, which looks set to start in February 2025, is aimed at collecting commercial waste more efficiently. Instead of each entrepreneur making their own arrangements, the waste flows of multiple entrepreneurs are bundled. The new service collects the waste at fixed times – with electric vehicles – and takes it to a hub somewhere on the edge of Eindhoven. And what is important here is that the emptying frequency is daily. Which means that large containers are no longer needed.'

How did it go? the collaboration with Brainport Bereikbaar?

'Very good! A structural approach was chosen. In which Brainport Bereikbaar considered the importance of a sustainable collective to be of paramount importance. With fewer large transport movements and with electric vehicles in and out of the city centre. It was important for the entrepreneurs to find a market-conform solution. The pilot is now set up in such a way that many entrepreneurs are involved. The municipality also plays an important role. They have shown that they want to think along with our initiative. It now really feels like we are working together on a solution, instead of us as small businesses standing alone.'

What are your expectations of this pilot?

'I hope that this pilot will not only solve my problem, but also show that we as entrepreneurs can achieve more by working together sustainably. If the pilot is successful, this model can also be rolled out in other parts of the city or even in other municipalities. And of course I hope that it inspires other entrepreneurs to also take steps towards more sustainable business operations.'

Do you have any tips for other entrepreneurs who are facing similar problems?

'My most important tip is: don't sit still. Seek contact with others, such as business associations or working groups. Together you are stronger. And don't be afraid to try new solutions. Otherwise this pilot would never get off the ground.'

Thanks to the involvement of Loes van de Looveren and the support of Brainport Bereikbaar, a promising step has been taken in the more efficient and sustainable collection of commercial waste. This collaboration shows how local entrepreneurs and municipalities can work together on solutions that not only save costs, but also contribute to a better future.