Household waste management in Flanders

1. Household waste management in Flanders Christof Delatter Association of Flemish Cities and Municipalities www.vvsg.be Tel. +32 2 211.55.99 E-mail: christof.delatter@vvsg.be

2. Flanders (1)

3. Flanders (2) • Regions: considerable political autonomy • Region fully responsible for environmental matters (incl. spatial planning), except: • Nuclear waste • Waste transit through Belgium • Product Policy • European and International Policy (joint decisionmaking)

4. Flanders (3) • One public waste authority on Flemish (regional) level, established in 1981 (OVAM), responsible for working out regional waste management plans • Municipalities are responsible for the collection and treatment of household waste • Own (inter)municipal services; Tendering; Public-private partnerships • Producer responsibility for certain waste streams • Commercial waste: ‘free market’

5. Results (1) • Verysuccessful separate collection: • Results at the top • Doorstep collection of lots of recyclables • Bring system (> 340 civicamenity sites) • Very high recycling rate • 2002: firstyear in which the growth in waste productionstopped • Since 2006: no more landfilling of household waste • Largenumber of people compost at home • PAYT is generalized • BAT waste treatmentfacilities

6. Results (2)

7. Results (3) *all of it incinerated with energy recovery

8. Flanders: waste collection before 1991 • No selective collection • Waste collected twice/ week • Any bag or container can be used • All household waste to incineration or landfill

9. Introduction selective waste collection • 1991: start of selective collection of household waste • Residual household waste • ‘dry’ or ‘wet’ fraction • Hazardous waste • Now: • Organic waste • Paper and cardboard • Glass • PMD (plastic and metal packaging) • Metals • Textiles • ...

10. Introduction selective waste collection Selective collection requires engagement from citizens: • New bags or containers for each waste type • Slightly more expensive for citizens • Sorting rules not always easy • More space needed to keep each waste type separately Stakeholder engagement is crucial Mix of policyinstruments

12. Continuous improvements (1) • 2013: ‘Better Sorting Team’ • Reporting waste issues through mobile app

13. Continuous improvements (2) From curbside waste collection to underground waste collection and sorting points in densily populated areas

14. Continuous improvements (3) Waste sorting streets? Underground containers for selectivehousehold waste collection: • Residual household waste, Paper, GFT, Glass • Accessible to a limited pre-determined number of people. • (Electronically) monitored: “Pay as you throw”.

15. Bring-your-waste (1) • Access pass: top up at top-up point or by bank transfer • Access: 7/7, between 7 am and 10 pm

16. Bring-your-waste (2) • No need to keep waste at home (especially important for small dwellings) • Access-card controlled • Less odour nuisance • No torn bags, no messy streetscape • Flexible, because open 7 days a week

17. Bring-your-waste (3) • Small size dwelling: the regular and quick disposal of waste is definitely a must. • Great diversity of languages ​​and cultures: no more issues reading the waste collection calendar; no rescheduled collection days (due to holidays). • Keeping truck traffic off the residential streets • Less illegal dumping

18. The way forward for Flanders? • Keep up the good work • Environmentalproblems do not stop at country borders • Whatpriceis the citizenwilling to pay? • €10 extra investments in our country = marginal result What if weinvestthatsame €10 in developing countries? • Only one wayforward: dialogue, solidarity, cooperation