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Brussels waste collection reform could make orange bag compulsory

09:50 07/09/2022

The Brussels region is preparing a major reform of waste collection in the capital - which would include making the orange bag for organic waste compulsory for all households.

Brussels environment minister Alain Maron has presented a plan to the region's 19 mayors that aims to reduce the amount of waste that is sent to the incinerator in Brussels.

Under the proposal, discarded food and other organic waste would eventually no longer be allowed in the white bin bag, which in turn would only be collected once a week.

Instead, every household would be required to sort organic waste into the orange bag - which is collected weekly at the same time as garden waste (green bag) - or add it to an individual or collective compost.

According to Maron, about 40% of rubbish that currently makes its way into the white bin bag could easily be recycled or composted.

"We must reduce the quantities of unsorted waste that goes to the incinerator," Maron said. "It generates pollution, greenhouse gases and it's a huge waste."

The plan would also encourage people to make better use of the blue bin bag. These were previously reserved for plastic bottles, tins and drinks cans, but since the beginning of this year, they can be used for all plastic packaging, including yoghurt containers and butter pots.

"Not everyone is going to get all their food waste out of the white bag overnight," Maron added. "But more and more people will do it before it becomes compulsory. The white bag will gradually shrink and the weights in the orange and blue bags will increase."

Written by The Bulletin