The Flemish cities of Leuven and Ghent will roll out reusable takeaway packaging at hospitality businesses in the coming months to reduce "the mountain of waste" coming from takeaway orders, they announced on Thursday.
The two cities hope that the new project, named 'Kombak', will make it possible for customers to opt for reusable packaging. In the coming months, the transport of the packaging to the businesses will be investigated.
"Anyone who occasionally orders or picks up a meal knows it: that tasty kebab or delicious sushi is wrapped in aluminium foil or plastic dishes, which you then throw in the bin," said Leuven city councillor of waste policy Thomas Van Oppens in a press release.
"The mountain of waste continues to grow while raw materials are becoming scarcer and our rubbish bins are filling up. Packaging also sometimes ends up in nature."
Related News
- France introduces reusable tableware in fast food chains, will Belgium follow?
- Belgium seeking to ban non-reusable packaging in fast food chains
- Europe must drastically reduce its plastic production
By launching the project in two cities at once, the initiators can test two variants of the same concept concurrently and find the best way to make the plan work. Guiding questions include: is it better to buy or rent the packaging? Where and how do customers return their empty packaging? Who does the dishes?
"With this project, we not only want to reduce the amount of waste but we also want to support our hospitality industry to make the switch to reusable packaging," said city councillor for trade, Johan Geleyns. "They are also a partner in our ambition to make Leuven a circular city."
By the end of 2023, customers will be able to opt for reusable meal packaging at participating hospitality companies. So far, 28 establishments in Leuven have already shown interest.
