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Mandatory food waste recycling for Brussels residents from 15 May

14:29 11/04/2023

A requirement for all Brussels residents to use orange rubbish bags for recycling organic food waste has been delayed by two weeks.

The start of mandatory food waste recycling in the Belgian capital, initially planned for 1 May, is being postponed until night-time waste collection resumes on 15 May.

“This is due to the fact that since the 2022-2023 school year, the Easter holidays in French-speaking schools do not fall until May,” explained Bruxelles Propreté spokesperson Etienne Cornesse.

“When people are on holiday they don't always get all the information so we thought it would be better to move the date.”

Cornesse stressed that the later date has nothing to do with practical problems at Bruxelles Propreté: “Brussels is even ahead of the introduction of these European regulations.”

The initiative is mandatory for Brussels households, who must now use the orange bags for food scraps, fruit and vegetable peelings, expired food and tissues.

It will become effective in all municipalities on 15 May, with an awareness campaign ahead of time and afterwards.

A new calendar informing residents when they should put out their waste will be shared.

Control checks on the new bags will begin from September in order to give people time to get used to the new system, Cornesse said, “however, we will already be putting a lot of effort into communication and awareness-raising”.

Written by Helen Lyons

Comments

cjbbrussels

Orange sacks haven't been available in the Carrefour Market where I shop for the last 8-10 weeks. Will they be available to purchase soon?

Apr 12, 2023 09:49