Brussels schools will limit single-use plastics

Brussels schools will limit single-use plastics

The Wallonia-Brussels Federation on Friday adopted a resolution seeking to reduce the presence of single-use plastics in schools and to introduce alternative measures and materials by 2021.

The resolution — which was unanimously approved but remains non-binding— calls on authorities to develop a global plan to reduce the use of disposable plastics and seeks to put the federation's schools on track with an EU directive.

The proposal also aims to introduce a series of measures in municipalities across the federation, which favour reusable materials, encourage more environmentally-friendly habits and promote a "zero-waste" mentality.


"To fight against single-use plastics by encouraging the use of reusable bottles in our school can have a significant impact on our environment," one deputy said.

The proposal, which was put forward by cross-party members, noted that French-speaking schools in Belgium needed to do more to reduce plastic use.

Citing the recent Youth for Climate marches, which has seen thousands of school students in Brussels and elsewhere take the streets to protest political inaction on climate change and the environment, another deputy said this proposal signified a "small" but "meaningful" step forward.

As the issue of plastic pollution becomes more visible, a growing number of political and civil organisations worldwide have started seeking new ways of addressing it.

In Brussels, one environmental foundation crafted a couch out of the plastic waste recovered from the Port of Brussels in March, in order to raise awareness of plastic pollution in the city.

Gabriela Galindo
The Brussels Times


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