Ghent (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Since April, Ghent’s new glass waste system has affected 50,000 homes. IVAGO is testing smart sensors at 17 spots to see if glass containers are full. Alderman Bracke awaits a November 2025 report amid resident complaints.
As VRT News reported, to improve the new glass collection system, Ghent is testing smart sensors in 17 places, mostly in the canal villages. These sensors check how full the containers are and tell the waste collectors when to empty them. They mentioned that the goal is to make collection routes better and reduce pollution. However, the technology is still being tested, and the data isn’t fully reliable yet.
A city council member wants to use these sensors everywhere, saying it would make the service more efficient. He believes it would fix many of the current problems by quickly responding to full containers. As the city waits for the September 2025 results, Ghent is trying to modernise services while keeping things easy for residents in terms of waste management.
What is going wrong with Ghent’s new glass collection plan?
The new glass collection in Ghent is still causing problems. Critics, including Tom De Meester, are worried about noise from people throwing glass outside of set hours. De Meester suggests moving some containers to supermarkets, which are easier to get to and less likely to bother residents. This aims to reduce noise while keeping it convenient.
Many residents, especially in the suburbs, are frustrated because they now have to take their glass waste to containers themselves. Jonas Naeyaert agrees, saying that some areas are dealing with more noise, mess, and traffic because of the changes.
“It is not clear whether IVAGO is already making adjustments or not, and how this is happening. This needs to be communicated better. The lack of clarity is causing more concern,”
Says Stijn De Roo (CD8V).”
Sofie Bracke says the new system is still being tested. She says the city will share a report in November 2025, not September. Bracke points out that similar systems work well in other cities and that Ghent should be able to make it work too.
The change started because the city wanted to save money, about €400,000 each year. Officials mentioned that the city centre still has some home collection, but the plan is to use drop-off points more.
Since April 2025, Ghent has changed how it collects glass waste, no longer picking it up from homes in some areas. This affects about 50,000 households in the suburbs, who now have to take their glass to public containers. This change has caused issues, including overflowing containers and inconvenience for residents.
The city wanted to modernize waste collection and cut costs, but the public is not pleased. At a recent city meeting, Alderman Sofie Bracke said the city would assess the new system and make adjustments if needed, based on a report due in September, 6 months after the change began. The city does not plan to completely scrap the new system.
“We need the necessary data to have arguments for adjustments. What does a long weekend do? What is the impact of the weather? When are the glass containers full faster? Which locations appear to be less suitable? These are all things we need to know,”
Bracke emphasises.
