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Brussels removes hundreds of waste bins
Finding a litter bin in the centre of Brussels is set to get harder, as the city council has removed at least 500 in recent months, because of fly-tipping problems.
New bins have been placed elsewhere in the city – although this is unlikely to help people living in central areas, Le Soir reports.
Bins were taken away from the Rue Dansaert and Halles Saint-Géry area and other locations in the central pedestrian zone. This action was taken following a request and in-depth analysis by the city’s waste management department.
A spokesperson for green spaces, public cleanliness and animal welfare alderwoman Zoubida Jellab said the study showed that some bins acted as magnets for illegally dumped waste rather than being used for their intended purpose, explaining: “We found nappies, green waste and even household rubbish in these bins.”
According to RTBF, many residents and shopkeepers are not convinced by the decision. They say that more bins are needed to keep streets clean as, in the words of one local resident, “oeople are lazy, they don’t want to walk too far to find a dustbin”.
Despite criticism in central Brussels, the measure has been positively received in other areas of the commune, such as the Marolles district and Neder-over-Heembeek, Brussels’ most northerly district where more bins are now available.
The bins have been added notably along major roads and schools in other areas of Brussels. It is not known exactly how many bins are involved.
Earlier this year, Jellab spearheaded a campaign to rid cigarette ends from Brussels city centre. Almost 100,000 were picked up from 1 to 26 June and gathered on the Place de la Monnaie.
Comments
This is a very silly idea as it won't stop the rubbish. People will just leave it all over the place now. The city needs bigger bins as the ones that are there only last a day before they are filled. Some people will never be educated to separate their rubbish as they don't want to. The centre of Brussels will just get dirtier as rubbish will still be dropped and now there are no bins at all.
Something had to be done about the Fly Tipping and total lack of respect. People still don’t separate their waste properly, the waste collectors just want to collect the rubbish, finish their shift and go home, they don’t have the time or inclination to sort out every pick up point. But more people are needed as inspectors to walk the route before collection and do something that way. More cameras are needed for the fly tippers, especially at Hotspots. There really is not an easy solution to this, but the Government must try, they must fine people and hope in time, the public just get the message. Like most problems we have in the City, it’s all about respect and I’m afraid there is a severe lack of it in Brussels. Only when it hurts there pocket and Bank Account will they really start to learn!!
Many people may get used to this and put trash in a pocket until returning home or finding a bin. In this way bins won’t overflow with trash and people won’t have the opportunity to stuff a receptacle that isn’t there. There are no bins on the street in Tokyo but it works as people are not as egocentric as they are here. There should also be a campaign to educate people on what they should do with trash if there are no bins. Unfortunately, everyone has their own norm for common sense and some need guidance.
Compared to the other countries I have lived in it is FAR more difficult to get rid of excess/outsized waste here than anywhere else. One reason for the fly tipping could also be the lack of easy alternatives.
In my suburb to Brussels the recycling park is only open without prior appointment on Wednsday mornings. The rest of the time you need to book a time in advance. Then on arrival, an official checks your ID, measures the length of the boot of your car (if it is longer than 1m you have to pay extra) and meticulously notes down what you are brining, and then calculates the price. Some items are free, other will cost you every time, garden waste only if you brought more than a certain quantity in a calendar year, which of course needs to be calculated and checked every time.
I wonder if anyone has tried to calculate the cost of all the bureaucracy around waste management, removing dumped wasted etc. compared to just making the recycling stations easily accessible ond free or dirt cheap - pun intended.