First Flemish municipalities and Natuurpunt also call for introduction of deposit return scheme

The Deposit Alliance is growing rapidly: in a month and a half, the number of alliance partners rose from 21 to the impressive figure of 101 partners: organisations, companies, associations, action committees and municipalities from the Netherlands and Flanders.

Halen (9,511 inhabitants), Hamont-Achel (14,417), Haacht (14,442), Laakdal (15,866), Tielt (20,301), Zoersel (21,855) and Hasselt, a city with 77,124 inhabitants, are joining the Deposit Alliance.

After Limburg.net, a second waste intermunicipal partner of the Deposit Alliance is joining: IVVO, the Inter-municipal association for Waste Removal and Treatment for the Veurne and Ommeland sector. The fact that these two waste intermunicipal companies are advocating for a deposit system indicates that the theme is stirring the waste sector in all corners of the country, from Limburg to the coast.

Natuurpunt, with more than 100,000 members and the management of 22,800 hectares of Flemish nature, is also joining. The nature association believes it is crucial that waste does not end up in nature, and a deposit system can greatly reduce litter in nature reserves and beyond. The environmental organisations JNM and Gents MilieuFront are also joining the alliance.

Communication agency Connect, music and theatre festival Ubuntu Festival in Boom, De Molen van Rotselaar (non-profit association of active mill residents and Ecopower), and a whole range of associations and action committees are also participating. It shows how great the diversity of the Deposit Alliance is.

Pressure on the Bourgeois government

Literally from all corners of society, therefore, comes the request to the Flemish government to introduce a deposit system this year.

Environment Minister Joke Schauvliege (CD&V) stated several times in the plenary session of the Flemish Parliament that she wants to introduce a deposit system. The Deposit Alliance asks that its coalition partners N-VA and Open VLD also express themselves positively and make a decision.

Warm appeal

Meanwhile, the Deposit Alliance also invites other Flemish cities and municipalities to join. After all, litter, of which cans and bottles make up a large part, is a major cost item for municipalities: every year more than 100 million in Flanders.

With a deposit system, these costs would decrease, which could provide room to lower municipal taxes. An important theme in this year of local elections.

A deposit system is also the first step towards a circular economy. In this way, organisations and municipalities can show that they want a concrete solution to the problems of litter, environmental pollution from plastic, and the plastic soup in rivers and seas.

Tweets about @statiegeldallia OR #statiegeldalliantie

This is the list of new partners who have joined since mid-December:

In Flanders

7 Flemish municipalities/cities:

Halen, city with 9,511 inhabitants, decided by the Board of Mayor and Aldermen.

Hamont-Achel, municipality with 14,417 inhabitants, on the initiative of mayor Theo Schuurmans (CD&V).

Haacht, municipality with 14,442 inhabitants, on the initiative of the alderman for environment, Dieter Van Besien (Groen)

Laakdal, municipality with 15,866 inhabitants, decided by the Board of Mayor and Aldermen.

Tielt, city with 20,301 inhabitants, decided by the City Council.

Zoersel, municipality with 21,855 inhabitants, decided by the Board of Mayor and Aldermen.

Hasselt, city with 77,124 inhabitants, decided by the Board of Mayor and Aldermen.

12 Flemish organisations:

IVVO, Inter-municipal association for Waste Removal and Treatment for the Veurne and Ommeland sector, with 12 municipalities as partners (150,000 inhabitants).

Natuurpunt, with 106,000 members the largest nature family in Flanders.

Jeugdbond voor Natuur en Milieu vzw (JNM), youth movement for and by young people with a heart for nature and environment, with 3,000 members spread across Flanders.

Gents Milieufront, regional environmental association from Ghent that wants to boost the environment and sustainable mobility through positive actions.

Natuur2000, groups together young people interested in nature who want to take responsibility for a liveable environment.

Ubuntu Festival vzw, music and theatre festival in Boom, which won the GroeneVent award in 2016.

Peerby, online platform to bring supply and demand from the neighbourhood together so that you can borrow things from your neighbours.

Stichting Vitaal Kekerdom, initiative of involved residents committed to vitalising the village.

ABLLO vzw, Action Committee Protection Environment Left Bank and Waasland, encourages local authorities and citizens to adopt a sustainable lifestyle.

BE Vegan, veganism association with the aim of promoting veganism and uniting and assisting vegans.

De Molen van Rotselaar, non-profit association of active mill residents and Ecopower for the maintenance

The Deposit Alliance is growing rapidly: in a month and a half, the number of alliance partners rose from 21 to the impressive figure of 101 partners: organisations, companies, associations, action committees and municipalities from the Netherlands and Flanders.

Halen (9,511 inhabitants), Hamont-Achel (14,417), Haacht (14,442), Laakdal (15,866), Tielt (20,301), Zoersel (21,855) and Hasselt, a city with 77,124 inhabitants, are joining the Deposit Alliance.

After Limburg.net, a second waste intermunicipal partner of the Deposit Alliance is joining: IVVO, the Inter-municipal association for Waste Removal and Treatment for the Veurne and Ommeland sector. The fact that these two waste intermunicipal companies are advocating for a deposit system indicates that the theme is stirring the waste sector in all corners of the country, from Limburg to the coast.

Natuurpunt, with more than 100,000 members and the management of 22,800 hectares of Flemish nature, is also joining. The nature association believes it is crucial that waste does not end up in nature, and a deposit system can greatly reduce litter in nature areas and beyond. The environmental organisations JNM and Gents MilieuFront are also joining the alliance.

Communication agency Connect, music and theatre festival Ubuntu Festival in Boom, De Molen van Rotselaar (non-profit association of active mill residents and Ecopower), and a whole range of associations and action committees are also participating. It shows how great the diversity of the Deposit Alliance is.

Pressure on the Bourgeois government

Literally from all corners of society, therefore, comes the request to the Flemish government to introduce a deposit system this year.

Environment Minister Joke Schauvliege (CD&V) stated several times in the plenary session of the Flemish Parliament that she wants to introduce a deposit system. The Deposit Alliance asks that its coalition partners N-VA and Open VLD also express themselves positively and make a decision.

Warm appeal

Meanwhile, the Deposit Alliance also invites other Flemish cities and municipalities to join. After all, litter, of which cans and bottles make up a large part, is a major cost item for municipalities: every year more than 100 million in Flanders.

With a deposit system, these costs would decrease, which could provide room to lower municipal taxes. An important theme in this year of local elections.

A deposit system is also the first step towards a circular economy. In this way, organisations and municipalities can show that they want a concrete solution to the problems of litter, environmental pollution from plastic, and the plastic soup in rivers and seas.

Tweets about @statiegeldallia OR #statiegeldalliantie This is the list of new partners who have joined since mid-December:

In Flanders

7 Flemish municipalities/cities:

Halen, city with 9,511 inhabitants, decided by the Board of Mayor and Aldermen.

Hamont-Achel, municipality with 14,417 inhabitants, on the initiative of mayor Theo Schuurmans (CD&V).

Haacht, municipality with 14,442 inhabitants, on the initiative of the alderman for environment, Dieter Van Besien (Groen)

Laakdal, municipality with 15,866 inhabitants, decided by the Board of Mayor and Aldermen.

Tielt, city with 20,301 inhabitants, decided by the City Council.

Zoersel, municipality with 21,855 inhabitants, decided by the Board of Mayor and Aldermen.

Hasselt, city with 77,124 inhabitants, decided by the Board of Mayor and Aldermen.

12 Flemish organisations:

IVVO, Inter-municipal association for Waste Removal and Treatment for the Veurne and Ommeland sector, with 12 municipalities as partners (150,000 inhabitants).

Natuurpunt, with 106,000 members the largest nature family in Flanders.

Jeugdbond voor Natuur en Milieu vzw (JNM), youth movement for and by young people with a heart for nature and environment, with 3,000 members spread across Flanders.

Gents Milieufront, regional environmental association from Ghent that wants to boost the environment and sustainable mobility through positive actions.

Natuur2000, groups together young people interested in nature who want to take responsibility for a liveable environment.

Ubuntu Festival vzw, music and theatre festival in Boom, which won the GroeneVent award in 2016.

Peerby, online platform to bring supply and demand from the neighbourhood together so that you can borrow things from your neighbours.

Stichting Vitaal Kekerdom, initiative of involved residents committed to vitalising the village.

ABLLO vzw, Action Committee Protection Environment Left Bank and Waasland, encourages local authorities and citizens to adopt a sustainable lifestyle.

BE Vegan, veganism association with the aim of promoting veganism and uniting and assisting vegans.

De Molen van Rotselaar, non-profit association of active mill residents and Ecopower for the maintenance and opening up of the Mill, a monument protected because of its industrial-archaeological value.

Connect, communication agency for companies and governments, in Belgium and the Netherlands.

Also, 17 Dutch municipalities and 19 Dutch organisations have joined since December. Earlier, the capital Amsterdam and large cities Utrecht, Breda and Maastricht already joined, as did the Dutch Consumers' Association.

The full list of the 101 partners of the Deposit Alliance can be found here.