Is Flemish Minister-President Bourgeois following the Scottish example?

The Scottish government is introducing a deposit return scheme on cans and bottles. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon (Scottish National Party) announced her decision this Tuesday afternoon in the Scottish Parliament.

“The Scottish region is thus joining the frontrunners of the circular economy, Germany and Norway. Flanders must not let this train pass it by”, responds Rob Buurman of Recycling Netwerk, a coalition of Dutch and Flemish environmental organisations.

40% of litter in Flanders consists of bottles and cans. The Flemish taxpayer pays more every year for the clean-up of that litter, already 102 million euros a year. The introduction of a deposit return scheme would decimate this.

The government of Geert Bourgeois (N-VA) promised in 2018 to decide whether it will also introduce a deposit return scheme. “Two out of three Flemings are in favour of a deposit return scheme. Without a deposit, Flanders will never succeed in getting rid of the litter,” says Buurman. The study commissioned by the Dutch government proved last Thursday that a deposit return scheme reduces the number of cans and plastic bottles in litter by up to 90%.

“The Scottish First Minister is starting her parliamentary year today with an ambitious reform of her region towards a circular economy. Scotland is seen as an example by the N-VA Minister-President. He agreed with Sturgeon to cooperate more closely in the field of innovation.  We therefore ask that Minister-President Geert Bourgeois also resolutely chooses the circular economy in his September Declaration, and introduces a deposit return scheme in Flanders”, concludes Recycling Netwerk.

Rob Buurman

Director of Recycling Netwerk

+31 6 16 40 10 40

rob@fairresourcefoundation.org

Tom Zoete

Communications

admin@fairresourcefoundation.org

The Scottish government is introducing a deposit return scheme on cans and bottles. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon (Scottish National Party) announced her decision this Tuesday afternoon in the Scottish Parliament.

“The Scottish region is thus joining the frontrunners of the circular economy, Germany and Norway. Flanders must not let this train pass it by”, responds Rob Buurman of Recycling Netwerk, a coalition of Dutch and Flemish environmental organisations.

40% of litter in Flanders consists of bottles and cans. The Flemish taxpayer pays more every year for the clean-up of that litter, already 102 million euros a year. The introduction of a deposit return scheme would decimate this.

The government of Geert Bourgeois (N-VA) promised in 2018 to decide whether it will also introduce a deposit return scheme. “Two out of three Flemings are in favour of a deposit return scheme. Without a deposit, Flanders will never succeed in getting rid of the litter,” says Buurman. The study commissioned by the Dutch government proved last Thursday that a deposit return scheme reduces the number of cans and plastic bottles in litter by up to 90%.

“The Scottish First Minister is starting her parliamentary year today with an ambitious reform of her region towards a circular economy. Scotland is seen as an example by the N-VA Minister-President. He agreed with Sturgeon to cooperate more closely in the field of innovation. We therefore ask that Minister-President Geert Bourgeois also resolutely chooses the circular economy in his September Declaration, and introduces a deposit return scheme in Flanders”, concludes Recycling Netwerk.

Rob Buurman Director of Recycling Netwerk +31 6 16 40 10 40 rob@fairresourcefoundation.org

Tom Zoete Communications admin@fairresourcefoundation.org