The city of Nivelles has launched a month-long campaign to combat littering and improper use of public bins.
The campaign will run across social media, posters, and online platforms to raise awareness about common issues related to public waste disposal. These issues include leaving household waste in public bins or placing rubbish bags next to them.
Nivelles officials emphasised that the goal is to educate and involve citizens, rather than punish them, in tackling these growing problems. Public bins—around 200 across the municipality—are strictly designated for small, on-the-go waste, not household rubbish. Improper disposal costs the city €126.4 per tonne for incineration, burdening the community as a whole.
As part of the awareness drive, four videos have been created featuring staged hidden camera scenarios showing citizens committing waste-related offences. These videos highlight fines of €50 to €1,000 for dumping household waste in public bins, and €150 to €200,000 for leaving rubbish bags next to them, which constitutes illegal dumping.
In 2025, authorities issued 54 fines for such offences in Nivelles. Already this year, from January 1 to March 10, 14 fines have been handed out. Since mid-February, enforcement officers have joined weekly patrols with the municipal cleaning service to tackle the issue.
