Les Engagés Proposes Waste Bag Price Hike and Flat Tax in Brussels
Brussels deputy Mounir Laarissi of the centrist party Les Engagés has ignited a heated political debate by proposing a significant increase in the price of official waste bags and the reintroduction of a flat waste tax, arguing that the capital’s waste management system is financially unsustainable. The proposal, made public on June 30, 2026, has drawn sharp criticism from the left-wing PTB party, which condemns it as socially regressive.
The Current System
Brussels currently has the cheapest waste bags in Belgium. A roll of 15 white 60-liter bags costs just €2.50 — approximately €0.17 per bag. This stands in stark contrast to other Belgian cities: Antwerp charges €1.10 per bag, Charleroi €1.25, Liège €1.50, and Nivelles €1.75, according to La Libre Belgique.
“There is something wrong with the Brussels system. In Brussels, people think it’s free. But nothing is free, it’s paid for through taxes,” Laarissi told La Libre Belgique.
The Proposal
Laarissi’s plan has two main components. First, it would significantly increase the price of official waste bags to bring Brussels in line with other Belgian cities. Second, it would reintroduce a flat waste tax that was abolished in 2016. The aim is to better fund Brussels-Propreté, the regional waste management agency, which costs approximately €300 million per year to operate, and to apply the “polluter pays” principle.
“The tax covers fixed costs — namely the fact that trucks pass every week in front of everyone’s home. The bag is the variable contribution, linked to consumption. This will have effects on accountability, because you pay less when you are careful,” Laarissi explained.
Political Backlash
The proposal was met with immediate opposition from Françoise De Smedt, group leader of the PTB in the Brussels Parliament. As reported by 7sur7, De Smedt described the plan as “a logic completely out of touch with social reality.”
“Flat taxes are the most unjust because everyone pays the same regardless of their income,” De Smedt argued. “Cleanliness is built with strengthened and accessible public services, sufficient collections, adequate infrastructure, and prevention. For us, it is out of the question for the price of garbage bags to increase and for a flat tax to be reintroduced.”
The Illegal Dumping Debate
A key point of contention is the potential impact on illegal dumping. Laarissi argues that Brussels’ cheap bags attract residents from Wallonia and Flanders who purchase and dispose of their waste in the capital, straining the system. He contends that other Belgian cities apply the “coût-vérité” (true cost) principle with significantly higher bag prices without experiencing an explosion of illegal dumping.
PTB counters this argument with data, asserting that a third of infractions in the City of Brussels involve bags from the periphery where prices are higher, suggesting that increasing costs would worsen the problem rather than solve it.
Broader Political Context
The waste pricing debate comes amid one of the longest political crises in Belgian history. Brussels parties have been unable to form a stable regional government since the June 2024 elections, with finding €1 billion in budget savings remaining a key sticking point. Waste bag pricing has been a recurring point of contention between parties, with the MR previously advocating for increases and the PS opposing them.
Compensation and Next Steps
Laarissi has indicated that any reform would include compensation mechanisms for vulnerable households through CPAS (social welfare centers) or other targeted measures. “We want a more balanced system where everyone contributes more according to their waste production, while providing compensation for precarious households,” he stated.
The PTB remains firmly opposed, and the proposal is likely to become a significant issue in ongoing Brussels government formation negotiations. The specific price increase and flat tax amount have not yet been detailed, leaving key questions unanswered as the debate continues.
What to Watch For
As Brussels grapples with its political crisis and budget challenges, the waste management reform proposed by Les Engagés tests the party’s ability to influence policy and deepens the divide between centrist and left-wing parties. The coming weeks will reveal whether this controversial proposal gains traction or becomes another casualty of the capital’s prolonged political deadlock.