Wallonia tests bonus scheme for recycling cans

Wallonia has announced a two-year experiment to encourage more people to recycle their aluminium cans - by paying them €0.05 per can.

The region has selected 24 municipalities for the pilot scheme, including the student town of Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve and Dour, home to the famous music festival.

Two versions of the scheme will be tested out - one using an automatic machine similar to that found for glass bottles in supermarkets, and a second version involving manual collection of cans by municipal employees. The success of each system will be assessed at the end of the first year.

For each can recycled, residents will be entitled to a five cent voucher to be spent in participating shops. Prices for canned drinks will remain unchanged, said Walloon environment minister Carlo Di Antonio, with the bonus scheme being funded by the packaging industry.

The 24 communes taking part in the initiative are Perwez, Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve, La Hulpe, Tubize, Eghezée, Fernelmont, Anhée, Yvoir, Neufchâteau, Bastogne, Etalle, Meix-devant-Virton, Büllingen, Butgenbach, Amay, Nandrin, Donceel, Fexhe-le-Haut-Clocher, Frameries, Dour, Chievres, Frasnes-lez-Anvaing, Courcelles and Les Bons Villers.

The Brussels region is also planning to test out a deposit system for drinks cans by the end of this year. It has placed an order with a Hungarian company to supply the recycling machines, with a 10-week waiting time.