Formation of tariff policy of household waste management in Flanders

ETT 53729 – Kiev, Ukraine

25-26.11.2013

Christof DelatterAssociation of Flemish Cities and Municipalities

www.vvsg.beTel. +32 2 211.55.99

E-mail: christof.delatter@vvsg.be

VVSG -VVSG -

This Presentation

• Legal framework• Tariff policy in Flanders• Pay-as-you-throw• Subsidies• Producer responsibility• Summary of tariff approach

VVSG -VVSG -

Legal framework (1)

• Municipalities in Flanders are legally responsible for organization of household waste management (collection and treatment)• Regulated through municipal by-laws• Municipality decides who collects what kind of waste, when and

how (within national legal framework)• Own service• Intermunicipal service• Private companies after tendering

• No one is allowed to collect waste without assignment from the municipality

• A citizen is not allowed to get rid of household waste in a way, different than what has been regulated by the municipality in which he or she lives

VVSG -VVSG -

Legal framework (2)

• We strongly believe in the importance of integrated waste management policy on the municipal level because:• good waste management demands close contact with and full

participation by the citizens;• this allows optimal community service;• creation of ‘market conditions’ on the local level: access for

small companies = more players on the market;• public utilities and private waste management companies push

each other to more efficiency and more effectiveness; • pure free market?: uncontrollable and doubtful that private

waste management companies would stimulate waste prevention

• Financing is done indirectly by the public through municipal taxes

VVSG -VVSG -

VVSG -VVSG -

Tariff policy in Flanders (1)

• Citizen paying the municipalities:• In the past: all costs financed from either the general budget

or from a fixed waste tax per family per year• We still see similar practices in other European countries

• Linked to water consumption• Linked to surface of housing• But no link to waste produced by the individual family

VVSG -VVSG -

Tariff policy in Flanders (2)

• In the 1990ies: evolution to implementation of polluter-pays-principle through:

• Introduction of producer responsibility• Shift towards variable fees, linked to the quantity of waste

produced by the individual families = P-A-Y-T (Pay as you throw)

• Combined with the non-variable costs still being financed from either the general budget or from a fixed waste tax (or mix of both)

VVSG -VVSG -

Tariff policy in Flanders (3)

VVSG -VVSG -

P-A-Y-T (1)

• General principles:• Make waste for disposal the most expensive (full cost of

treatment): typical for non-recyclable waste

• Waste, collected separately, but which can be avoided: charge a part of the cost: typicly applied for organic waste

• Other separately collected waste streams: no variable charging

• Prevention: is strongly stimulated, for example through the distribution of free home-composting units

VVSG -VVSG -

P-A-Y-T (2)

• Practical implentation of P-A-Y-T:• Compulsory use of a household waste bag of a given volume;

sold at a certain price• Waste is only collected when presented in waste bags,

distributed by municipalities• Examples of tariffs: Waste for disposal: average 1,5 EUR/bag;

plastics: 0,25 EUR/bag; VFG: 1,2 EUR/bag

VVSG -VVSG -

P-A-Y-T (3)

• Practical implentation of P-A-Y-T:• Compulsory use of a chipped bin

• Where the household waste container is weighed and registered when emptied during collection

• or the number of times that a container is emptied is counted

• Typical fee: residual waste: 0,20 euro/kg – 3 euro/container of 120l; organic waste: 0,15 euro/kg – 2,4 euro/container of 120l

VVSG -VVSG -

P-A-Y-T (4)

• Practical implentation of P-A-Y-T:• Collective systems: the underground sorting street

• Different subsoil containers, only accessible with identification badge

• Financing through prepaid-system linked to badge• Separate fractions: free; residual waste: same rates as for

rubbish bags• Requires strong communication, follow-up and

enforcement

VVSG -VVSG -

Subsidies

• Regional Government subsidies for municipalities:• Voluntary environmental cooperation agreements: commitment to

achieve a series of environmental goals in exchange for subsidies• Has been a very successfull tool…• But will disappear in the near future!

• Subsidies for specific investments concerning prevention and seperate collection of MSW

• Financial impact of subsidies is limited…• …however politically it can make a big difference

VVSG -VVSG -

Producer responsibility (1)

• Producer responsibility: producers pay the municipalities a fee for the collection activities:• FULL COST PRINCIPLE• Packaging waste: total cost of collection, sorting and recycling +

extra fee for coordination and communication• Other take-back responsibilities: industrial sectors will have to pay

a lump sum per inhabitant per year and per ton collected on municipal civic amenity sites

• PR for magazines and newspapers, printed publicity, batteries & accumulators, expired medicines, tyres, WEEE, motor-oil

VVSG -VVSG -

• Producer responsibility: financing by the producers: example of packaging waste

No collection of packaging waste

Collection of packaging waste

} additional cost

} total cost !

France, Italy, Spain,… Belgium,

Germany,…

Tot

al c

osts

Producer responsibility (2)

VVSG -VVSG -

Punishing misbehaviour

• Illegal dumping• Use of wrong recipient• Putting waste on the street on the wrong days• Littering• Wild dumping in forests

• Illegal incineration• Incineration of waste at home is not allowed

• Both activities can be fined (administratively) up to 250 euro for each violation !

VVSG -VVSG -

Waste treatment plants(often intermunicipal)

Flemish region

Municipalities and intermunicipal organizations

Citizens Industries withTake-back responsibilities

Companies for collection and recycling/treatment of waste

Financing summerized

VVSG -VVSG -

Questions ?

VVSG -VVSG -