Residents of Utrecht who check an app to see when the bins go out will have to change apps. On 29 September 2026 the gemeente announced a new resident app for waste collection, the "Utrechtse Afvalapp", and said it will stop using the current Afvalwijzer app from 2027.

What the new app does

According to the gemeente, the new app does what the Afvalwijzer already does: it shows when your waste is collected and helps you find the nearest underground container. It adds a few things on top. Residents can book a bulky-waste (grofvuil) pickup directly in the app, and they can request or exchange a kliko, the wheeled household bin.

The gemeente also points to a change behind the scenes. The app is linked to the planning system of the waste-collection service, which should let the city tell residents when a collection route is moved to another day because of a public holiday, or when a route unexpectedly fails to run. The gemeente says the app offers "more possibilities" for both residents and the city and contributes to better service.

On its separate page about collection days, the gemeente says residents only need to enter their postcode and house number, and can switch on notifications for pickup reminders and schedule changes. Waste is collected between 08:00 and 16:00. Klikos should be put out before 07:00 and may be set out from 20:00 the previous evening, or from 21:30 for residents inside the singels. The page says the app is available for Android through Google Play and for iPhone through the App Store.

The timeline

The switch is gradual. The gemeente says it is introducing the app step by step and that the current Afvalwijzer will stay available for now and be phased out over the coming period. Through December 2026, both apps will carry up-to-date information. From 2027 the gemeente stops using the Afvalwijzer. It says residents will be told about the new app through the Afvalwijzer itself and other municipal channels.

The announcement does not give a specific launch day for each stage, and it does not say whether the app is free. It also does not say what happens to residents' existing settings in the Afvalwijzer, so it is worth entering your address afresh in the new app rather than assuming anything carries over.

Why it matters

Waste collection is a routine city service, and a missed pickup quickly causes inconvenience. The municipality says the new app's link to the collection planning system should help it give residents better notice when a route moves because of a public holiday or unexpectedly fails to run. How smoothly that works in practice remains to be seen.

The gemeente notes that the app is already used by several other municipalities, which suggests it is an established product rather than a one-off build for Utrecht. The announcement does not name the supplier or those municipalities.

What to do

If you rely on the Afvalwijzer, you have until the end of 2026 before it stops being kept current. Download the Utrechtse Afvalapp from your phone's app store, enter your postcode and house number, and enable notifications. Residents who prefer not to use an app can still check collection days on the gemeente's online afvalkalender, which the collection-day page also lists. For anything else, the gemeente can be reached on 14 030.