Jean-Jacques Dohogne, ACR+ June 2015

Flanders

Towards a prevention, reuse & recycling society?

  

ACR+Network for local & regional authorities

Content

• Flanders, a small dynamic region…

• Pollution heritage

• Key waste & resource data

• How did Flanders reach 71% recycling?

• Is the system financially sustainable?

• Can we achieve even more recycling?

Flanders recycling performance

71% recycling today!

28,6% Waste-to-Energy

0,4% landfilling

18%

71%

Why?

Flanders

± 13.500 km² (45% of Belgium)

Flat coastal plains in northwest, Central: rolling hills

6,4 million ± 440 inh./km²

Flanders

Flanders

Pollution heritage

Preferred environmental option

Least environmental option

Prevention

Prepare for reuse

Recycling

Other recovery

Disposal

Early 70’s till today

< 60’s till 90’s

As from 80’s till today

PollutionHeritage

As from 90’s till today

The Waste hierarchy!

Pollution heritage

PollutionHeritage

+/- 2000

< 70’s

Pollution heritage

PollutionHeritage

70’s – 80’s

Dioxines, Furanes…

Pollution heritage

Pollution Heritage

80’s

• Less landfilling and incineration• Sanitation (soils)• Emission norms• Energy recovery• Waste hierarchy• Selective collection/ treatment

Waste legislation impact…

Key waste & resource data

405

331

74148

355

503

Key data

Key waste & resource data (kg/cap/y)

331 kg 180 kg 148 kg

1991 20132001

Residual waste

Selectively collected waste74 kg

355 kg

Key waste & resource data

Key data

355 kg/ cap/ y recycled

Door-to-door Recycling park

+/- 50%

+/- 50%

Key waste & resource data

46

331

286

030

148

112

6

+

+

=

Key data

Household residual waste

Flanders recycling performance

71% recycling today!

28% Waste-to-Energy

1% landfilling

18%

71%

How?

Institutional set-up

• Flanders public waste authority (OVAM - 1981)• Municipalities are responsible bodies for the collection

and treatment of household waste

How Flanders reached 71% recycling?

71%

Institutional set-up

Inter-Municipalities (IM)

How Flanders reached 71% recycling?

71%

Need for scaling upNeed for keeping close contact with citizensIncreasing costs

Local authorities still decision makers: more control, more local managementEfficiency of scale306 out of 308 municipalities in IM

Flanders planning process

1986 - 2015

How Flanders reached 71% recycling?

71%

< 1986’80s

Shortage of capacity

All in One

71%

How Flanders reached 71% recycling?

All in One

1st FLANDERS HH WASTE PLAN

+Recycling parks

• Taxes on landfilling & incineration

• Subsidise recycling parks (dry waste)

1986-1990

How Flanders reached 71% recycling?

2nd FLANDERS HH WASTE PLAN

or+

Principle 1 = sorting at the source

How did Flanders achieve 71% recycling?

+

1991-1996

Introducing prevention & reuse

+ +

71%

Legal/ economic instruments

Dry Wet

3rd FLANDERS HH WASTE PLAN

Recycling parks

1997-2002

Selective collection

Less More

• Compulsory selective collection (dry & wet)

• Landfill and incineration prohibitions

Principle 2 = permanent sensitisation

71%

How Flanders reached 71% recycling?

Dry & Wet

How Flanders reached 71% recycling

Door-to-doorProximity containers

Recycling parks Special collection

or

1/1000 inh

71%

1/18000 inh

What with misbehaviour?

Illegal dumping

How Flanders reached 71% recycling?

€ Fines up to 250 Euro

Illegal burning

4th FLANDERS HH WASTE PLAN 2003-2007

Introducing concrete objectives by 2007

Waste prevention 13%

70%

150

As compared to 2000

How Flanders reached 71% recycling?

Selective collection & recycling

Max. kg/inh/y residual waste

Full prohibition of landfilling of Hous. Waste

5th FLANDERS HH WASTE PLAN 2008-2015

Waste prevention 2%/y

75%

Dec

oupl

ing

75%

How Flanders reached 71% recycling?

Higher objectives &

resource managementSelective collection & recycling

How Flanders reached 71% recycling?

1. Representatives from local authorities are involved during the whole ‘waste management plan’ process

2. Strong bottom-up approach based on shared experience between central administration and local authorities

3. Above creates mutual ownership between central and local government

4. Regional financial support for local implementation

Why successful?

71%

How Flanders reached 71% recycling?

1. Sensitising & communication

2. Organising an obligatory, optimal, uniform selective collection

3. Subsidizing & financial support

4. Stimulating inter-municipality cooperation

5. Applying the principle of the polluter pays (PAYT)

6. Implementing the producer’s responsibility (EPR)

7. Set environmental taxes on landfilling and incineration

8. Implementing landfill and incineration prohibitions

Mix of instruments to reach objectives

71%Never copy/paste – choose own optimal mix

Municipal sources for financing

+

Central government

Municipalities budget

%

Municipality inhabitant pays taxes (salary & property)

PAYT contribution

Regional government

subsidies

Revenues from sales

Producer contributions EPR schemesSocial correction for rent of

bins or use of recycling yard

Finances

Financial sustainability of the system…

%

Fixed rate

Tariff policy evolution in Flanders

<90s

How Flanders reached 71% recycling?

2015

€ 225/hhld/y

Prevention

What does the Government support financially?

Financial sustainability of the system…

Selective Collection

Finances

How Flanders reached 71% recycling?

Citizen pays according to the waste generated

Results€0,125/60l

€1,8/60l

€1,5/120l

Increase

Can we achieve higher recycling rates?

More

More?

18%

71%82%

Tariff policy evolution in Flanders

How Flanders reached 71% recycling?

€ 225/hhld/y

2015 20xx

€ 225/hhld/y

Conclusions

1. Consider the waste hierarchy at all times

2. Success requires a mix of instruments

3. Full commitment & support of all stakeholders essential

4. Waste policy has created a whole range of industrial activities

5. It creates secondary materials and saves primary resources

6. Waste management creates business opportunities, innovation and employment

Key success factors…

Be our guest!!!

supports...•Study visits: Visit plants, projects,…•Share data on policy and on practical implementation methods•Long-term relationship and help in setting up a local or intermunicipal waste management policy

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Contact: Jean-Jacques Dohogne (jjd@acrplus.org)

www.acrplus.org