From 1 August, the City of Brussels is stepping up its fight against fly-tipping and - somewhat bizarrely in a city that celebrates Manneke Pis – urinating in public. Fines for these offences are significantly being increased. Anas ben Abdelmoumen, alderman for cleanliness, presented the measures to the city council on 29 June, where they were also approved.
From August, anyone who illegally dumps waste risks having to pay double the current tax. The charge per cubic metre of illegally dumped waste will rise from 500 to 1,000 euros. For hazardous waste and construction waste, the rate will double from 1,000 to 2,000 euros per cubic metre.
Ben Abdelmoumen emphasises that the council is not increasing the charge to boost its coffers, but to ensure that the polluter pays. “In 2025, processing all the waste cost our city no less than 2 million euros, of which 600,000 euros went towards clearing up the 1,891 instances of fly-tipping,” he explains. He believes it is only logical that those who pollute and thereby “undermine the quality of life of Brussels’ residents should bear the costs”.
Urinating in public
Other forms of nuisance will also carry a steeper price tag from now on. Unauthorised bin bags left on public roads will be subject to a charge of 400 euros per bag (previously 150 euros). Regulation-compliant bin bags or cardboard put out outside the permitted hours will incur a charge of 200 euros per bag or per cubic metre. Illegal graffiti will incur a fee of 1,000 euros per square metre, compared with the current 500 euros. Finally, the charge for urinating in public is also rising from 250 to 400 euros.
More bulky waste collections
At the same time, the city wants to expand the free alternatives. From this autumn, residents can expect two free bulky waste collections from their homes per year, instead of one. Furthermore, they will be allowed to put out up to three cubic metres of bulky waste per collection, instead of two. The same limit will apply at the mobile recycling centres.
Combined with the annual free service provided by Brussels refuse agency Net Brussel, this scheme enables every resident to have up to 15 cubic metres of bulky waste collected free of charge each year. Currently, the limit is 9 cubic metres — This represents an increase of no less than 67 per cent, the city emphasises.