From Waste to Wealth: How the CompostBakkers Are Greening The Hague!
23 June 2025
What do you do when the city stops collecting organic waste in your neighbourhood? Jan Morsch knew the answer: you take matters into your own hands. What started as a practical idea in a community garden in Mariahoeve has, thanks to his initiative and contagious enthusiasm, grown into a composting movement with real impact across The Hague. Today, more than thirty neighbourhood composting sites help reduce waste and strengthen social connections in local communities.
Through their efforts, the CompostBakkers actively contribute to building sustainable cities and communities (SDG 11), promote responsible consumption and production (SDG 12), and take climate action by encouraging local composting (SDG 13). They also help strengthen healthy food systems (SDG 2) and support biodiversity and fertile urban environments (SDG 15).
An idea that took root
In 2015, Jan Morsch was involved in a community garden project in Mariahoeve. “We wanted to make our own compost to keep the garden healthy. When the municipality stopped collecting organic waste in densely built-up neighbourhoods, we saw an opportunity. We asked local residents if they would be willing to bring their organic waste to us — and surprisingly, many responded positively,” Jan explains.
People without green thumbs but with green hearts joined in. Within just a few years, dozens of composting sites had sprung up across The Hague. Jan: “We handle the setup and provide support, but the gardens run themselves. Neighbours bring their organic waste, and volunteers from the community garden turn it into compost. The result is rich, nutritious compost that can be used or sold. It’s a perfect example of circular thinking: organic waste from the neighbourhood stays in the neighbourhood — it’s processed locally and reused right where it came from.”
Compost as a Community Connector
A compost site is much more than a bin for peels and apple cores it has become a meeting place. “You see people in the garden you would otherwise never talk to. Seniors, children, busy parents they all bring their organic waste and feel connected. Children love watching their vegetable scraps slowly turn into soil,” says Jan.
The CompostBakkers also regularly host workshops. “At markets and events, I show how easy it is to compost at home. At allotment gardens, I give practical explanations of the process. There are so many simple methods anyone can learn.”
Free compost bin? Great idea!
Recently, Jan teamed up with the Municipality of The Hague to launch a new initiative: free compost bins for residents. “We aimed for fifty applications, but even before the campaign officially started, we had already reached that number. Within three weeks, 350 people had signed up. A new round is planned for the autumn.”
Want to apply for your own compost bin? Keep an eye on compostbakkers.nl and duurzaamdenhaag.nl for the latest updates.
The Hague’s CompostBakkers are a wonderful example of how citizens can actively contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals. They show that waste doesn’t have to be the end of the line it can be the beginning of something beautiful. By turning local organic waste into compost, they reduce residual waste and return valuable nutrients to the soil.
And it all started with one thoughtful, down-to-earth idea from a resident of The Hague someone with a passion for good food, healthy soil, and community-driven solutions.
This is what the CompostBakkers do – and you can join in too!
