Deposit return scheme is getting closer, also in Wallonia

“With this, the Walloon coalition of PS, MR and Ecolo is taking a very positive step forward towards a cleaner environment. That is very good news,” explains the Statiegeldalliantie (Deposit Return Alliance) on Monday evening in a reaction to the Walloon coalition agreement.

“After evaluation of the current pilot projects, the Government will defend the progressive implementation, at the Belgian level, of a deposit return system or a return premium system for cans and PET bottles that is economically viable and effective and allows environmental gains and public cleanliness gains to be achieved,” the governing coalition of PS, MR and Ecolo writes on page 29 of the coalition agreement.

With this, the Walloon government is on the same wavelength as the Brussels regional government, which decided in July to introduce a deposit system, on page 105 of the Brussels coalition agreement. Two of the three Belgian regions are therefore already taking the step towards the circular economy.

What about Flanders?

All eyes are now on the negotiators for the Flemish government. More than half of all Flemish municipalities are already members of the Statiegeldalliantie. 80 per cent of Flemish people are in favour.

The Statiegeldalliantie asks the Flemish government negotiators to also write the introduction of a deposit return scheme into the Flemish coalition agreement.

The alliance calls on all businesses involved to back the plans of Brussels and Wallonia.

Europe, France and the United Kingdom also in action

Europe requires that 90% of plastic bottles be collected selectively in the near future. The French and British governments are also planning to introduce deposit return schemes. The fear of possible cross-border purchases is therefore removed. In fact, if Flanders lags behind, it could become the only region in Western Europe without a deposit on plastic and cans.

The benefits of a deposit return scheme are legion: beautiful, cleaner nature, less waste of taxpayers' money on clearing up litter, cleaner neighbourhoods that are attractive to tourists and consumers, and the first steps towards a circular economy of plastic and aluminium raw materials.

“Companies in regions that introduce deposit schemes quickly can already develop the know-how in a technology that will be the norm in the entire European Union, with around half a billion consumers, in the near future,” the Statiegeldalliantie concludes in a press release.

“With this, the Walloon coalition of PS, MR and Ecolo is taking a very positive step forward towards a cleaner environment. That is very good news,” explains the Statiegeldalliantie on Monday evening in a reaction to the Walloon coalition agreement.

“After evaluation of the current pilot projects, the Government will defend the progressive implementation, at the Belgian level, of a deposit return system or a return premium system for cans and PET bottles that is economically viable and effective and allows environmental gains and public cleanliness gains to be achieved,” the governing coalition of PS, MR and Ecolo writes on page 29 of the coalition agreement.

With this, the Walloon government is on the same wavelength as the Brussels regional government, which decided in July to introduce a deposit return scheme, on page 105 of the Brussels coalition agreement. Two of the three Belgian regions are therefore already taking the step towards the circular economy.

What about Flanders?

All eyes are now on the negotiators for the Flemish government. More than half of all Flemish municipalities are already members of the Statiegeldalliantie. 80 per cent of Flemish people are in favour.

The Statiegeldalliantie asks the Flemish government negotiators to also write the introduction of a deposit return scheme into the Flemish coalition agreement.

The alliance calls on all businesses involved to back the plans of Brussels and Wallonia.

Europe, France and the United Kingdom also in action

Europe requires that 90% of plastic bottles be collected selectively in the near future. The French and British governments are also planning to introduce deposit return schemes. The fear of possible cross-border purchases is therefore removed. In fact, if Flanders lags behind, it could become the only region in Western Europe without a deposit on plastic and cans.

The benefits of a deposit return scheme are legion: beautiful, cleaner nature, less waste of taxpayers' money on clearing up litter, cleaner neighbourhoods that are attractive to tourists and consumers, and the first steps towards a circular economy of plastic and aluminium raw materials.

“Companies in regions that introduce deposit schemes quickly can already develop the know-how in a technology that will be the norm in the entire European Union, with around half a billion consumers, in the near future,” the Statiegeldalliantie concludes in a press release.