New rules could require bins for household waste

Residents in some parts of Brussels could soon be required to put out their household rubbish in plastic bins - not bags - to deter foxes, crows and cats.

The regional parliament's environment committee has unanimously backed the idea. Once approved by parliament, it will be up to each commune to decide whether to make the switch to bins, and where.

The new measures will apply to food waste (orange bags) and ordinary household waste (white bags), which are frequently torn open by animals in search of food.

Woluwe-Saint-Pierre mayor Benoît Cerexhe drew up the draft order, after revealing that his commune alone spent €160,000 a year cleaning up after Bruxelles Propreté had done its rounds.

Bruxelles Propreté would decide on a uniform size and type of bin. Each municipality would be free to choose whether to require bins everywhere, or just in specific streets and neighbourhoods.