Why can't we make underground wheelie bins the norm on the streets of Brussels?

The urban layout of Brussels, its population density and the size of its arterial roads make it difficult to install containers permanently on the streets, as this would require complex urban redevelopment and would imply massive investment in collection equipment, works and haulage. It would also have a significant impact on other urban functions, such as movement and parking. Based on its experience in installing underground glass bins, Bruxelles-Propreté believes that many neighbourhoods cannot be equipped with underground systems because Brussels has many pipes running underground.

In the case of wheeled containers, the issue is not so much the technical arrangements underground as the placement of these containers in particularly dense neighbourhoods. Finally, some of our studies indicate that the presence of containers tends to make some citizens less responsible for sorting, with recycling results below average.

Our experience with glass bubbles suggests that fixed points are often seen by many people as places where they can leave their rubbish without worrying about the nuisance to people living nearby. The installation of wheeled bins could generate the same type of problem. It is not uncommon for some local authorities to do away with these glass bubbles in order to take the wind out of the sails of these indelicate citizens.