Ghent (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Ghent will raise IVAGO waste fees in 2026, including €22.40 for 50 L bags and higher bin collections. Alderman Sofie Bracke cites a doubled Flanders levy (€16 to €32) and budget cuts (€120 M).
As VRT News reported, Ghent will raise several waste prices next year. Households will pay more for everyday rubbish disposal with IVAGO. A roll of 50-litre residual waste bags will cost €22.40 instead of the current price. That is an increase of €2.90. The fee for collecting a 240-litre residual bin will also rise. Each pickup will be €1.40 more, close to a 15% rise. The adjustment applies to smaller bags and containers as well.
“Flanders is doubling the levy on residual waste processing. We have no choice but to pass this on,”
says Alderman Sofie Bracke (For Ghent).
Why is Ghent raising IVAGO waste fees and cutting household support?
According to officials, the main reason behind the increase is the waste levy. Ghent pays this fee per tonne, and it will double from €16 to €32. This extra cost forces the city to update its tariffs.
“We’re also raising other rates to make up for the inflation gap,”
says Bracke.
Other waste categories will also see a price change of about 7%. A roll of 90-litre PMD bags will cost €0.60 more. A 120-litre organic container pickup will rise by €0.70. The city expects these measures to cover the higher expenses and support future waste services.
The city has also planned an extra rise of 2% in the following years. They mentioned that this step is part of a larger financial operation meant to reduce the city budget by €120 million each year.
Museum entry fees will also rise for both residents and visitors. The city says that the changes are needed to manage spending and control future costs.
“We saw that some families received up to three times more PMD bags than the average consumption. We are now adjusting that,“
says Bracke.
Financial support for low-income households will also change. The current aid system will be reduced and will offer less coverage than before. From May 2026 onward, the city will provide fewer free garbage bags and will pay for fewer waste collections. Support will cover only 50% to 75 % of the average usage, depending on the size of the household.
A family with 6 members or more will see its allowance shift from €193.68 to €144.90. The assistance will be given as credit on the IVAGO account or as vouchers to obtain garbage bags. Help will remain in place, but families will receive less under the revised scheme.
“The principle must always be that the polluter pays. We are now extending that principle here as well. Moreover, as a city, we are not allowed to foot the entire household waste bill,”
concludes Bracke.
Waste collection has become significantly more expensive in Flanders in recent years. Between 2015 and 2026, average household waste fees have increased approximately 43%. In Ghent, IVAGO provides everything waste-related (garbage collection, recycling, transportation and incineration).
In addition, the city has also increased its efforts to improve the sorting and recycling of materials, including the introduction of a glass-recycling bin system for thousands of households starting in 2025, which will replace its older method of collecting mixed waste. The increased cost and infrastructure associated with the city’s recycling initiatives are the reason why Ghent will revise its waste-related fees and support programs prior to 2026.
