Can Deposit in Wallonia: Farmers Push, Government Holds Back
Discussions over introducing a deposit system for cans in Wallonia have reached a critical juncture, with agricultural organizations expressing growing frustration at the pace of political decision-making. While the Walloon Farmers’ Association (FWA) and allied groups describe the case for a deposit system as “solidly supported,” the Walloon government has yet to adopt a clear position, leaving farmers to bear the mounting costs of discarded cans on their land.
The Scale of the Problem
Metal cans represent 35% of waste found in illegal dumping sites across Wallonia, according to La Libre Belgique. The impact on agriculture is severe: discarded cans are shredded by harvesting machinery, contaminating crops and mixing with animal feed. The sharp metal fragments cause internal injuries to livestock, often leading to suffering and death.
Farmer Maurice Taelman of Orp-Jauche told RTBF that he has lost four cattle to can ingestion. “One of our bulls died like that. We didn’t immediately see that it was a can the animal had ingested,” he said. “It’s sad to see an animal agonize because of someone’s negligence.”
A survey of 150 farmers found that 80% identify wild waste as the primary danger they face, and 70% collect and dispose of waste themselves at an estimated cost of €500 per year per farmer.
Agricultural Organizations Demand Action
On July 3, the FWA, the Union of Walloon Women Farmers (UAW), and the Alliance for Deposit met with cabinet representatives of Environment Minister Yves Coppieters, Agriculture Minister Anne-Catherine Dalcq, and Minister Adrien Dolimont. In a joint statement reported by DH/Belga and RTBF, the organizations declared: “We can no longer hear that ‘it’s complicated.’ We want a Walloon government that takes a clear position to move this file forward. The transition is underway with our neighbors. Let’s not let Wallonia fall behind.”
Benoît Haag, Secretary General of the FWA, described the deposit as a potential solution that applies the polluter-pays principle. “Farmers are quite powerless in this situation,” he said. “The deposit has the advantage of making both the producer and the consumer responsible.”
A Decade of Debate
The push for a can deposit system in Wallonia has a long history. In 2016, then-Environment Minister Carlo Di Antonio signed a convention with the packaging sector (Fost Plus, Comeos, Fevia) that included a resolutory condition delaying deposit discussions until after December 2022. However, former Environment Minister Céline Tellier later argued that the convention did not bind the current government, as reported by RTBF in October 2021.
In July 2023, the Walloon government adopted an orientation note favoring a “classic” manual deposit system for cans and plastic bottles, with a target implementation date of 2025, according to Trends/Tendances. That deadline has now passed without implementation.
European Context and Political Dynamics
Across Europe, deposit return schemes are gaining momentum. Nineteen European countries already have deposit systems for cans, and France has confirmed the introduction of a system by 2028-2029. Walloon parliamentarians visited the Netherlands in 2022 to study its successful system.
Belgium’s complex federal structure adds another layer of difficulty. A deposit system requires coordination between Wallonia, Flanders, and Brussels-Capital Region, and an Interregional Packaging Cooperation Agreement is still being developed. The political landscape has also shifted: the environment portfolio moved from Ecolo’s Céline Tellier to Les Engagés’ Yves Coppieters after the 2024 elections, which may have slowed momentum.
What’s Next
The agricultural organizations are calling for the establishment of an interregional working group to validate collection figures and guide future decisions. They insist that farmers, consumer representatives, and civil society must have a seat at the table.
“We hope that the FWA, other agricultural unions, consumer representatives, associations, and civil society actors will be invited to participate,” their joint statement read. “We will be the first concerned by this future packaging management system: our voice must be heard.”
With France moving ahead and the agricultural toll mounting, the pressure on the Walloon government to take a definitive stance is only intensifying. Whether the coalition led by Les Engagés and MR will overcome its caution and commit to a deposit system remains the central question in a debate that has already spanned a decade.