Cutting Brussels’ white bin bag collection to once a week is anti-social says Workers’ Party

The collection of white bin bags in Brussels could be cut to once a week as part of the region’s future cleanliness plan.

It’s a move that sparked criticism from Belgium’s Workers’ Party (PTB), reports RTBF.

"This is an anti-social measure, totally disconnected from the reality of thousands of Brussels households. Being able to evacuate waste regularly is a question of hygiene, there’s no question of reducing collections,” said member of parliament Bruno Bauwens in a press statement.

He had the following response to public cleanliness minister Alain Maron. “Has he lost his head to believe that families will be able to keep at home a minimum of four rubbish bags for a whole week.”

According to the PTB politician, increased services for the city’s population was needed to make Brussels clean. Households need help sorting their waste, they need infrastructure close to home, such as underground containers and regular collections, added Bauwens.

"It must be possible to easily evacuate waste from apartments. Alain Maron requires families to literally sleep in their rubbish bins and the risk is that illegal dumping will increase further," he insisted.

Photo: © Belga/Jens Thys