Flemish Environment Minister Zuhal Demir: 'Deposit return scheme is inevitable'

In 2021, more than 18 million kilograms of litter still had to be cleaned up in Flanders. This is shown by figures from the Public Waste Agency of Flanders (OVAM). The industry has therefore failed to achieve the 20 per cent reduction. This was set out in the Household and Similar Industrial Waste Implementation Plan 2016-2022, the 2018 Packaging Agreement and the Coalition Agreement of the Flemish Government 2019-2024. The Deposit Alliance reacted immediately to the news this morning: 'From the very beginning of her term in office, Minister Demir has warned the industry. Now she is drawing the logical conclusion from the poor litter figures and taking action. After business was given years to reduce litter in other ways, it is now time for a deposit return scheme, the system that has been successful for years in Germany, the Netherlands and dozens of other countries'. In Flanders, more than a third of the volume of litter consists of plastic bottles and cans. A deposit return scheme can reduce the number of bottles and cans in litter by 70 to 90 per cent. A year after the introduction of a deposit on bottles in the Netherlands, there is 76 per cent less in nature. A deposit return scheme therefore leads to a positive result very quickly. That is precisely why more and more European countries are introducing deposit return schemes. To make a deposit scheme successful, it must be as simple as possible for customers, with collection points in all retail outlets, as is currently the case with glass bottles. Growing consensus in Flemish and Walloon parliaments Minister Demir is putting the introduction of a deposit scheme on the table of the Flemish government. Coalition partner CD&V and also the opposition parties Vooruit and Groen have long been in favour of deposit return schemes. Demir also contacted her Walloon and Brussels colleagues, Céline Tellier and Alain Maron (both Ecolo) for deposit schemes throughout Belgium. Both the Walloon and Brussels coalition agreements provide for the introduction of a deposit scheme in this legislature. The Environment Committee of the Walloon Parliament held hearings for months and paid a working visit to the Dutch deposit return system. A consensus is emerging in the Walloon Parliament across the boundaries of majority and opposition. The Deposit Alliance concludes in its press release: 'We encourage the regional governments to decide on the introduction of a deposit scheme this year, as Minister Demir proposes. Now it is a matter of setting up a customer-friendly deposit system with which people can easily return their bottles and cans in supermarkets and other retail outlets. With robust deposit decrees and a cooperation agreement, we can deal a major blow to litter'.

In 2021, more than 18 million kilograms of litter still had to be cleaned up in Flanders. This is shown by figures from the Public Waste Agency of Flanders (OVAM). The industry has therefore failed to achieve the 20 per cent reduction. This was set out in the Household and Similar Industrial Waste Implementation Plan 2016-2022, the 2018 Packaging Agreement and the Coalition Agreement of the Flemish Government 2019-2024.

The Deposit Alliance reacted immediately to the news this morning: 'From the very beginning of her term in office, Minister Demir has warned the industry. Now she is drawing the logical conclusion from the poor litter figures and taking action. After business was given years to reduce litter in other ways, it is now time for a deposit return scheme, the system that has been successful for years in Germany, the Netherlands and dozens of other countries'.

In Flanders, more than a third of the volume of litter consists of plastic bottles and cans. A deposit return scheme can reduce the number of bottles and cans in litter by 70 to 90 per cent. A year after the introduction of a deposit on bottles in the Netherlands, there is 76 per cent less in nature. A deposit return scheme therefore leads to a positive result very quickly. That is precisely why more and more European countries are introducing deposit return schemes. To make a deposit scheme successful, it must be as simple as possible for customers, with collection points in all retail outlets, as is currently the case with glass bottles.

Growing consensus in Flemish and Walloon parliaments

Minister Demir is putting the introduction of a deposit scheme on the table of the Flemish government. Coalition partner CD&V and also the opposition parties Vooruit and Groen have long been in favour of deposit return schemes.

Demir also contacted her Walloon and Brussels colleagues, Céline Tellier and Alain Maron (both Ecolo) for deposit schemes throughout Belgium. Both the Walloon and the Brussels coalition agreements provide for the introduction of a deposit scheme in this legislature. The Environment Committee of the Walloon Parliament held hearings for months and paid a working visit to the Dutch deposit return system. A consensus is emerging in the Walloon Parliament across the boundaries of majority and opposition.

The Deposit Alliance concludes in its press release: 'We encourage the regional governments to decide on the introduction of a deposit scheme this year, as Minister Demir proposes. Now it is a matter of setting up a customer-friendly deposit system with which people can easily return their bottles and cans in supermarkets and other retail outlets. With robust deposit decrees and a cooperation agreement, we can deal a major blow to litter'.