What Meerlanden does

Meerlanden Holding N.V. is a Dutch municipal waste management and circular-economy operator owned by eight municipalities and headquartered in Rijsenhout, Netherlands. The company collects, sorts, and processes household and commercial waste streams across its shareholder-municipality catchment, operating a fleet that runs approximately 60% on biogas produced internally from the organic fraction of the waste stream.

The operational backbone is the Groene Energiefabriek, which converts GFT (groente-, fruit- en tuinafval / organic) waste into six outputs: biogas, compost, heat, CO2, citrus fuel, and recovered raw materials. Adjacent assets include the RSC Schiphol e-waste sorting center (which now hosts a Miele appliance-refurbishing pilot), the new 90x45-meter Grondstoffenhal Rijsenhout with 700 solar panels, and a planned 30-kiloton diaper recycling facility scheduled for 2026. The company also integrates public-space management following its January 2025 merger with De Waterwolf.

The revenue model combines multi-year municipal service contracts (the regulated waste-collection mandate under the Wet milieubeheer) with a business-services arm, Meerlanden voor Bedrijven, serving roughly 500 commercial customers. FY2023 revenue was €89 million, up 7% year-over-year with a positive after-tax result. A complementary community and reuse layer (Meerlandenfonds, Grondstoffenmarkt, Plein voor Hergebruik, ambassador programs) anchors social license to operate within the shareholder municipalities. The company employs more than 500 people, including roughly 100 with distance to the labor market, and reports under Dutch N.V. (public limited company) governance.

Name

Meerlanden

Legal name

Meerlanden Holding N.V.

Website

https://meerlanden.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Meerlanden is a Dutch municipal waste-management and circular-economy operator, owned by eight municipalities, that collects and processes waste and produces biogas, compost, heat, and other recovered outputs from the Groene Energiefabriek facility.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Municipal Waste Management Services

NAICS

Waste Collection (56211), Waste Treatment and Disposal (5622), Materials Recovery Facilities (562920)

SIC

Refuse Systems (4953)

akta.pro primary industry

Organics Facility Development & Operations Services (Design/Build, O&M, Permitting) (EUAIAEAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Commercial Food Waste Programs & On-Site Solutions (Cafeterias, Grocers, Hospitality) (BPALAEAE), Compost Product Distribution, Retail & Landscape Supply (Bulk/Bagged) (BPALAEAI), Organics Transfer & Pre-Processing (Food/Yard Waste) (BPALABAC), Asset Recovery, Surplus & Decommissioning Services (EUAIANAD)

Keywords

• Waste management services
• Circular economy solutions
• Municipal waste collection
• E-waste recycling
• Public space maintenance

Headquarters

HQ city

Rijsenhout

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices13 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Municipal service fees: Revenue from eight Dutch municipalities (Aalsmeer, Bloemendaal, Diemen, Haarlemmermeer, Heemstede, Hillegom, Lisse, Noordwijk) for waste collection, processing, public space management, and energy services. Operates under public procurement frameworks and long-term contracts.
2. Afvalstoffenheffing (Waste levy collection): Meerlanden supports municipalities in the collection and calculation of waste levies from residents, serving as part of its public service mandate under the Wet milieubeheer.
3. Business services: Meerlanden voor Bedrijven provides zero waste solutions including 'Van A tot Zero' consulting to approximately 500 businesses, supporting waste separation and circular economy implementation.
4. Groene Energiefabriek energy products: Biogas sold to Liander gas grid and used to fuel ~60% of collection vehicles. Compost (MeerCompost) distributed free to residents. Warmth sold to neighboring greenhouse complex. CO2 sold to horticulture industry.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Meerlanden is a regional Dutch environmental services company that collects household and commercial waste, operates recycling and transfer sites, runs public space maintenance, and processes sorted waste into compost and green energy. It serves residents of eight municipalities and businesses across the wider Haarlemmermeer region, including operations at Schiphol, with a stated mission of closing material loops and building a circular regional economy. Revenue is generated through municipal service fees, commercial waste contracts, and the sale of recovered materials and energy.

Product overview

Meerlanden operates as a regional waste management and environmental services organization serving eight Dutch municipalities in the Meerlanden region. The company has evolved from a traditional waste collector into an innovative circular economy enterprise. Its core offerings include household waste collection services integrated with a digital platform (Meerlanden App, Afvalkalender, Scheidingswijzer), complemented by processing infrastructure including the Groene Energiefabriek for organic waste-to-energy conversion, Grondstoffenhallen for raw material storage, and RSC Schiphol for e-waste sorting. Key consumer-facing digital products include the waste calendar, separation guide, and mobile app. The portfolio extends to environmental stations (Milieustraten), the Meerwinkel second-hand shop, the Meerlandenfonds community fund, and planned initiatives such as a diaper recycling factory. Together these products enable Meerlanden to collect, process, recycle, and return materials to the circular economy while providing public space maintenance services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Meerwinkel: Secondhand retail store (kringloopwinkel) offering a wide range of pre-owned items in Hoofddorp and surroundings
• Groene Energiefabriek
• MeerCompost
• De Waterwolf
• RSC Schiphol
• Pro_Meter

Products and services

• Household waste collection (Grondstoffenhal collection service for households) Scheduled door-to-door collection of household waste streams (general waste, paper, plastic, organic/GFT) for residents of the eight owner municipalities, governed by municipal Afvalstoffenheffing.
• Meerlanden voor Bedrijven (commercial waste services) B2B waste collection, container rent, and on-demand bulky-waste pickups for businesses in the Haarlemmermeer region, with account-managed service.
• Wegbrengen op Afspraak (commercial bulky-waste delivery on appointment) Appointment-based bulky-waste and renovation-waste delivery service for businesses, coordinated through Meerlanden voor Bedrijven.
• Afvalbrengpunt (municipal bring locations at Wijkermeerweg and Waardhuizen) Self-service drop-off sites where residents can deliver bulky waste, chemical waste (KCA), e-waste, and other recyclable streams for a small fee.
• Resource Sorting Center (RSC) Schiphol Sorting and processing facility at Schiphol for customer-driven commercial waste streams from the surrounding business and logistics ecosystem.
• Groene Energiefabriek (Green Energy Factory) at Rijnhaven Converts sorted residual waste into biogas, electricity, and heat, completing the circular chain from collection through energy recovery.
• Natuurlijk Haarlemmermeer (compost, soil, wood and bark products) Sale of compost, soil, and wood/bark products derived from processed green waste, completing the circular loop on the material side.
• E-waste (WEEE) recycling service Collection and processing of electrical and electronic equipment waste from residents, typically via the bring locations and recycling sites.
• Public space maintenance (Beheer Openbare Ruimte) Cleaning and maintenance of public spaces in owner municipalities beyond waste collection, delivered as a contracted municipal service.

Quantifiable outcome

• Revenue increased 7% to €89 million in 2023
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• De WaterwolfcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 January 2025Public space management organization for Haarlemmermeer that merged into Meerlanden Holding as of January 2, 2025. ~100 employees joined Meerlanden. Waterwolf maintains its identity and continues under its recognizable brand.
• Stichting OPEN (Wecycle)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Collaboration with Stichting OPEN (Wecycle) at RSC Schiphol for processing e-waste. The foundation coordinates collection and responsible recycling of electrical appliances across the Netherlands.
• MidwastecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partner in e-waste processing at RSC Schiphol. Midwaste specializes in collection and processing of waste from healthcare facilities.
• MielecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Pilot with Miele to refurbish discarded Miele appliances at RSC Schiphol. Experienced Miele technicians train RSC staff in repairs. Refurbished appliances are resold at attractive prices. Non-repairable appliances donate parts for reuse.
• Willem Elsinga / ElsingacoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2024Provides proven technology for diaper recycling installation, also used at ARN in Weurt. Meerlanden and Elsinga have worked together successfully for years, including on the Groene Energiefabriek.
• Stichting Circulair WestminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Collaboration to investigate reuse of discarded construction materials. Residents can deposit reusable tiles, wooden planks, and other materials at DE MEERBOX on Plein voor Hergebruik.
• Stichting Repair CaféminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partnership with Repair Café Haarlemmermeer to organize repair events at Meerwinkel, extending product lifespans and promoting circular economy.
• Circulair WestminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Regional circular economy program. Meerlanden participates as partner in developing circular solutions for the western Netherlands region.
• NVRD (Nederlandse Vereniging voor Reiniging en Afvalmanagement)minorOthers · 1 January 2023Branch association representing Dutch waste management companies. Meerlanden participates in joint initiatives including lobby for nitrous oxide cylinder legislation changes.
• Vereniging Afvalbedrijven (VA)minorOthers · 1 January 2023Trade association for Dutch waste management companies. Collaborated with Meerlanden on nitrous oxide cylinder crisis response and safety advocacy.
• NMCX Centrum voor DuurzaamheidminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Education partnership for sustainability education. Meerlanden supports and participates in educational programs for schools.
• WielandcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Textile recycling partner that processes approximately 9 million kg of used clothing annually. Sorts textiles into wearable clothing and materials for new products. Uses Fibersort technology to scan and sort by material, color, and texture.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Attero: Dutch waste management company specializing in processing household waste, including composting and energy recovery. Operates organics processing facilities comparable to Meerlanden's Groene Energiefabriek, and serves multiple Dutch municipalities with similar service offerings.
• Twence: Dutch waste processor and energy producer owned by municipalities in the Twente region. Operates waste-to-energy incineration, composting, and recycling facilities. Comparable as a regionally-focused, municipally-owned waste-to-resource company with similar circular economy positioning.
• HVC: Dutch waste and energy company owned by 49 municipalities and 8 water authorities. Operates waste-to-energy plants, composting facilities, and sustainable energy projects. Closest structural analog as a municipally-owned Dutch circular economy services provider with comparable scale and ownership model.
• Circulus-Berkel: Dutch regional waste collector and circular economy services provider serving municipalities in the Achterhoek, Veluwe, and IJssel region. Owned by municipalities and operates under a similar public utility model with comparable service portfolio (waste collection, recycling, public space management).
• RMN (Reinigingsbedrijf Midden-Nederland): Dutch regional waste management company serving multiple municipalities in central Netherlands. Comparable scale and municipal ownership model, offering household waste collection, recycling, and public space services similar to Meerlanden.
• ARN (Afvalverwerking Rijnmond): Dutch waste processing company serving Rijnmond-area municipalities, specialized in automotive and chemical waste recycling. Already a partner of Meerlanden for the planned diaper recycling factory, providing reference technology. Comparable in scale and municipal ownership structure.

Broad incumbents

• Renewi: UK-listed (later taken private) waste management company operating across the Netherlands, Belgium, UK, and Germany. Offers waste collection, recycling, and circular economy services at far greater scale than Meerlanden, serving both municipal and industrial customers. Most direct large-scale comparable for Meerlanden's waste collection and materials recovery business.
• Prezero: European environmental services provider owned by the Schwarz Group, active in the Netherlands through waste collection, sorting, and recycling. Competes with Meerlanden for municipal contracts and offers comparable circular economy services including organics processing.
• Suez Recycling and Recovery Netherlands: Subsidiary of global environmental services group Suez, providing waste collection, recycling, and circular economy solutions in the Netherlands. Competes for municipal contracts and offers comparable organics and materials recovery services, though as part of a much larger international portfolio.

Emerging players

• Wieland Textiles: Dutch textile recycling partner of Meerlanden using Fibersort technology to sort used clothing by material, color, and texture. Processes ~9 million kg of textiles annually. Comparable as a circular economy infrastructure provider in the Netherlands serving similar end markets, though focused specifically on textile streams.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/meerlanden
• Facebookfacebook.com/meerlanden
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/de-meerlanden-n.v.?originalSubdomain=nl
• Instagraminstagram.com/meerlanden

Compliance12 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Meerlanden