Leuven (Brussels Morning Newspaper): Leuven will replace over 1,200 old street bins with larger ones by New Year’s Eve to address overflowing waste due to increased takeaway meals. Alderman Thomas Van Oppens emphasizes the need for better waste management and plans to include sections for cigarette disposal.
In Leuven, the old green and grey street bins that have been used since the 1970s will soon be replaced with larger containers around New Year’s Eve. This change is needed because the current bins are too small, especially in the city center. Thomas Van Oppens, the Alderman for city cleaning, said that the rise in takeaway meals has led to more disposable packaging, causing the bins to fill up quickly.
How will Leuven replace 1,200 bins to tackle overflow?
The current bins in Leuven, which were designed for the usual amount of waste, are not enough to handle the increased demand, especially in busy places. The growth of food delivery and takeaway services has led to too many single-use containers being thrown away, causing the bins to overflow. To fix this, the city will introduce larger bins to improve waste collection and reduce overflowing, especially in crowded areas. This effort is part of the city’s plan to keep Leuven cleaner and manage waste more effectively.
Leuven plans to gradually replace its over 1,200 garbage bins with larger ones. Alderman Thomas Van Oppens mentioned that the city is also working on a project to promote reusable packaging to reduce waste, but that initiative is still being developed and isn’t ready yet. In the meantime, Leuven is introducing larger garbage bins to tackle the waste issue. These new bins will not only hold more trash but will also have special sections for cigarette butts, giving smokers a proper place to dispose of their cigarettes. This addition aims to cut down on litter from cigarette waste, which is a common problem in public areas.
At the same time, Leuven is looking at the best places to put the bins to make waste collection more efficient. Alderman Van Oppens said they will replace small double bins with one larger bin and will consider adding more bins where necessary. The replacement will start around the new year in the city center and along the ring road, then move on to the nearby areas.
