The municipality of The Hague is investing €100,000 in the European project “AccessHubs.” This project encourages sharing and renting products instead of owning them. The Hague is collaborating with local businesses on new ways to share and rent items. For example, lending desks will be installed in existing stores and new community centers, making it easy for residents to see where they can borrow items.
This aligns directly with the ambitions of the circular economy, in which products and materials are reused for as long as possible, waste is prevented, and fewer new raw materials are needed. The funding comes from the Co-financing Fund, which helps the municipality secure additional funding from sources such as the EU, enabling more innovative projects. The Hague is also receiving over €270,000 in European subsidies to strengthen local initiatives that ensure the continued existence of these sharing and rental systems after the project.
This investment will enable The Hague to participate in an international collaborative project that helps reduce resource waste and provide affordable alternatives for residents, including those with limited financial resources.
” We throw away 200 million kilos of stuff every year, and that’s a waste. With AccessHubs, we’re taking a concrete step toward a city where sharing and reuse become a given. That’s good for the environment and for our residents’ wallets. Thanks to European collaboration, we can work faster and smarter toward a circular future for The Hague ,” says Alderman Arjen Kapteijns (Raw Materials).
What the municipality is already doing about circularity
The municipality of The Hague is already working on several fronts towards a circular economy. The ambition is to be 50% circular by 2030. For example, the municipality encourages reuse, supports circular businesses, and focuses on waste separation and the recovery of valuable raw materials. The construction sector is also actively promoting the use of reusable materials and reducing construction waste.
In addition, the municipality opened the Hague Circular Crafts Centre at the end of last year. Here, products such as bags, candles, notebooks, and refurbished bicycles are made from discarded materials. The Spullenbak project is also being implemented here, where employees sort desirable materials from household waste for reuse. These efforts are important for making the city future-proof: a circular economy reduces CO₂ emissions, protects scarce resources, and creates new, local economic opportunities.
Text: Gemeente Den Haag
Translation + Image: The Hague Online