Belgium recycling scam - something must be done

[Violet]

When recycling waste was introduced to the citizens of Belgium not too long ago it was under the guise of lending nature a helping hand.

And while I'm sure nature receives some benefits from it, it is not the only one doing so.

For those who are unfamiliar with the system in Belgium, people are (legally) obliged to recycle their waste. Those who refuse or make even minor mistakes such as putting a plastic bottle with rest waste receive a fine if their identity is recovered from the waste bag.

Recycling should be done in following main categories (there are others: like toxic waste and frying oil):

- plastics
- greens
- rest
- paper

For these, bags are sold by the city. Not all cities have the same colours for the same categories, I have noticed.

For your weekly trashing you will need (on avg):
- 1 (expensive) bag for plastics
- 1 (expensive) bag for greens
- 1 (expensive) bag for rest waste

If you own your own house you can replace the plastics and greens bags by containers that are permanent (which of course is much cheaper).

Now why do I consider this to be one big recycling SCAM?

1) The city has a monopoly on the sales of bags designed specifically for the purpose of this obligatory recycling. The bags, on top of that, are extremely thin and weak, and tear if filled up too much or tied in the wrong way. To give an indication of expensiveness: for one bag for rest waste you'll pay about 1 dollar. Vol = 60l. You can opt for 30l (at 60 dollarcents) but that bag will often prove too small, esp. for one week of family trash. No other sizes available. (So here: citizen pays for being able to dispose waste)

2) The waste is then collected by companies hired by the city. Citizens are charged for this in municipal taxes and it is marked "waste collection". (citizen pays)

3) The waste is then sold to individual recycling companies. (= citizen's labour to neatly put trash in different (self-purchased) bags with profits not returning to citizen )

4) The recycled wast is then resold to manufacturers. (= citizen's labour to neatly put trash in different (self-purchased) bags with profits not returning to citizen )

5) Citizen finally buys finished product from store. (citizen pays)

I would gladly help planet earth, but not in this manner. I'm seriously considering contacting recycling companies to see if I can sell them my trash without involvement of the city.

Of course that would be a waste of my waste collection tax, but I can't just sit and watch how the city laughs at us like this while we get nothing in return, not even a thank you note!

Yes, I'm angry now. :mad2:

People put up with it too...:confused:

[Flash]

Yes, it has all the appearances of a scam, what will the Belgian people do about it? You might not be the only one crying wolves!

Here, we are not forced yet.

[Violet]

I'm just not sure if big companies want my individual trash :(

[Robert J. Niewiadomski]

I'm just not sure if big companies want my individual trash :(
Well I guess not... This piece is from your neighbour, Netherland (old news, dated 1991):
Source: http://www.zb.eco.pl/gb/5-6/export.htm

WASTE EXPORT TO POLAND

The problem what to do with our waste is growing in the Netherlands. Where the waste scandals in the past were closely connected with chemical waste now the problem is also enlarged with domestic waste.

One of the provinces in the Netherlands, Zuid Holland (PROAV), is not able to find solutions in the province to dump their own waste. Each province in the Netherlands has his own waste program, and to "export" waste in the Netherlands to another province is due to bureaucratic rules an expensive operation. Cheaper according to the waste company of the bigger cities The Hague and Leiden, to Poland. We know now that there had been negotiations with the district Koszalin in Poland. As "act of gratitude" the PROAV said they want to help the building of an hospital in this district. The amount of waste about which was negotiated was: 2 mln tons. Thusfar it is not clear if the negotiations were with the authorities of Koszalin or with some private organizations.

As soon as environmental organizations, also Milieukontakt, and also the Green Party in the Netherlands, heard the rumour of the negotiations we immediately started to react. We are for a few reasons furious about the eventual export of waste. At first it is unclear if the dumping or incineration of waste in other countries will be carried out in an responsible way. Another more important fact is that we think that we, in the Netherlands or even in the province Zuid Holland, are responsible for our own dirt. And the third is that we are already for years waiting for a good waste management plan from the government. Thusfar only half grown measures have been taken to reduce our own waste "production". The eventual export abroad strenghten us only in the conviction that measures must be taken very quickly.

The Netherlands is too small for our waste!!!

The PROAV made clear last week, 6.6.91, that due to lack of social basis for their plans they draw back their plans. This is a victory for us. But only a small. In the same statement they said that the draw back is only for the time-being. And that the option of sending the waste to Koszalin can become actual maybe in the future.

Milieukontakt will closely follow the developments and ask everybody to inform us when there are again rumours of waste export to Poland!
(...)


Another "gem" here:
http://www1.american.edu/TED/POLWASTE.HTM
If there is demand there is supply apparently :(

Some statistics on waste management in EU:
http://www.central2013.eu/fileadmin/user_upload/Downloads/outputlib/Transwaste_Data_Evaluation_output_3.2.2_final.pdf

There are many rumors that waste (sorted or not) is being exported abroad for dumping into landfills or into the wilderness...

[Kiforall]

When people start going to the checkout of the supermarket and remove all the unecessary packaging dumping it in the aisle, that's when they will do something about it.

Zoe x

[Violet]

When people start going to the checkout of the supermarket and remove all the unecessary packaging dumping it in the aisle, that's when they will do something about it.

Zoe x

I don't see how. You still have to pay for it.

Agreed that your bags won't fill up as fast though.

[Operator]

5) Citizen finally buys finished product from store. (citizen pays)


What did you mean here ?

a) You pay for the product made of recycled material
b) In the Netherlands there is "Verwijderingsbijdrage" (Pre-paid disposal tax).

I think there are plans to abolish the "Verwijderingsbijdrage" but someone still living in the Netherlands is in
a better position to confirm that.

[Mulder]

This is a scam and I'd shread all waste with my name and address and refuse to comply. Although, I don't know what else I could do with my waste - e.g. pay another company to collect it or Go to the rubbish dump myself every month?

[Violet]

5) Citizen finally buys finished product from store. (citizen pays)


What did you mean here ?

a) You pay for the product made of recycled material
b) In the Netherlands there is "Verwijderingsbijdrage" (Pre-paid disposal tax).

I think there are plans to abolish the "Verwijderingsbijdrage" but someone still living in the Netherlands is in
a better position to confirm that.


I mean a). You don't get a special reduction in the supermarket because you recycled and helped lower their costs ;)

[Violet]

This is a scam and I'd shread all waste with my name and address and refuse to comply. Although, I don't know what else I could do with my waste - e.g. pay another company to collect it or Go to the rubbish dump myself every month?

Of course you would shred your waste with all the "trash police" investigating the trash.

However, I don't see any alternatives right now :/

1) We don't have a rubbish dump but a recycling park where indeed you can bring the trash by yourself. But this is just making things very easy in the process of recycling (with still: the city selling your waste because they own those parks). You're cutting waste collection costs for the city but in the end all the waste dumped there will also be sold for recycling. Obviously I have no evidence, but I find it hard to imagine the city just donates it.

2) If (in these hard times) you (still) have the luxury of your own house and the luxury of your own garden you may consider burning it. But this is toxic and 2) neighbours will not hesitate to call the fire department, this not being a familiar scene.

3) Selling it by your own hand will probably become easy once you find somebody who wants it. The big companies are getting your waste delivered by the city anyway so why would they want to waste extra time dealing with individual sellers. Unless of course there's a way to find out which company/companies get the city's waste, then you could go to companies that don't get it and they need it too.

Looks like a well-organised trap either how.

[Violet]

Update: Municipalities experience competition from private industry as well as trash thieves and garbage gangs who roam streets and recycling parks for trash that they "steal" and sell individually. This has led municipalities in turn to transfer the losses in costs to the taxpayers. Garbage bag prices have gone up (again) and from what I read, grown (even) thinner too, yes :(
(source, but you have to run a translation on it: http://www.radio1.be/hautekiet/ons-afval-steeds-meer-handen-van-commerci%C3%ABle-bedrijven-en-dieven?print and an older source:
13/12/13: http://www.nieuwsblad.be/article/detail.aspx?articleid=DMF20131212_00884913 )