The Mission

Our project aims to improve recycling of statiegeld bottles on the UM campus. Stage 1 collects bottles in central containers and donates the refund to local sustainability initiatives. Stage 2 introduces campus machines that allow students to top up their UM card while automatically donating half of the refund to charity.

The Challenge

Why maintain a statiegeld (deposit-return) system for plastic bottles if they ultimately end up in the bin? This question captures a fundamental issue currently visible across the University of Maastricht (UM) campus. Despite the existence of an incentive-based recycling system, many statiegeld-eligible bottles are not being returned but are instead discarded as waste. This problem becomes especially noticeable during exam periods. Students consume large amounts of bottled drinks—such as energy drinks and sodas—while studying for long hours. Under time pressure, convenience outweighs sustainability; returning bottles to a supermarket for the deposit refund becomes a low priority. As a result, these bottles are disposed of quickly and often incorrectly. Although UM provides separate waste streams—plastic, general waste, paper, and green waste—the current system does not effectively accommodate statiegeld bottles. In practice, these bottles either: (1) end up on top of the bins, where their fate is unclear, (2) are thrown into the plastic recycling bin, where the deposit value is lost, or (3) go directly into general waste, where they cannot be recycled properly and the environmental benefit of the statiegeld system is entirely undermined. This reveals a clear gap between the intended function of the deposit-return scheme and the actual behaviour of students on campus. Valuable resources are being wasted, recycling efficiency is reduced, and the sustainability goals of both UM and the national statiegeld system are weakened. Therefore, a targeted solution is needed—one that fits the campus context, supports student behaviour, and ensures that statiegeld bottles are collected, returned, and recycled in an effective and user-friendly way

The solution

Our idea is to create a simple and accessible system that turns statiegeld bottles into direct support for local sustainability projects. The plan has two stages: 1. In the first stage we place bottle collection containers in central locations across all six faculties and the two university libraries. The collected bottles are returned regularly and the full refund amount is donated to a local sustainability organisation. One of the first partners we are considering is the Maas Cleanup initiative because of their focus on environmental protection in our region. This stage is straightforward and low threshold and it allows students and staff to contribute without spending extra time or money. 2. The second stage builds on this idea and aims to install our own statiegeld machines in central campus locations. Students will scan their UM card before depositing bottles. Half of the refund will go to a selected local charity and the other half will automatically top up their UM card. This creates a direct incentive that fits student life while still supporting a local cause. It also encourages long term participation and makes the practice of recycling more visible and engaging on campus. Implementation plan: Phase 0 (initiated once approval and interest are confirmed): a) Meet with the UM Sustainability Office and Facility Services to discuss initial collection and return options, starting with the use of supermarket statiegeld machines. b) Obtain approval for the placement of collection bins across campus. c) Confirm the availability of storage space for collected bottles. Phase 1: a) Install collection bins across UM faculties and libraries to begin collecting statiegeld bottles and cans immediately. b) Place approximately 7–10 bins per facility / libary, focusing on high-traffic “hot spots.” c) Estimated total: around 75 bins, depending on pricing and available budget (~ €1,500). Phase 2: a) Continue discussions with Statiegeld Netherlands regarding potential funding to partially or fully cover one or two statiegeld machines. b) These machines would ideally be installed in the Inner City Library or Randwyck Library, where the highest volume of statiegeld waste is observed. c) Additional budget needs will depend on the outcome of these funding opportunities (estimated allocation: ~€1,500). UM Sustainability Goals: Our project aligns well with the UM Sustainability Roadmap which emphasises circularity community involvement and behavioural change. The idea brings sustainability into daily routines and makes it easy for students to take part in a shared effort. The project also connects clearly to the Global Citizenship for Sustainable Development skills. It touches on global literacy because it links an everyday action to wider issues like waste management climate impacts and the value of local initiatives within global environmental challenges. It encourages students to think about their role in a larger system and how small actions contribute to collective responsibility. It supports social responsibility by creating a simple way to act with concern for the environment and for the community. The project encourages students to reflect on shared spaces and shared resources, and to recognise that individual habits can have social meaning and local impact. Finally it has a strong element of transformative engagement. The idea relies on collaboration with local organisations works through student participation and aims to create a concrete change in how we handle waste on campus. It also invites conversations about sustainability and encourages students to see themselves as active contributors to a more responsible and connected community.