Waste containers

Brussels Increases the Fine for Throwing a Cigarette Butt from 50 to 200 Euros

Starting next year the fine for throwing a cigarette butt in Brussels will be increased from 50 to 200 euros, according to the mayoralty of the Belgian capital.

The city's cleanliness office is launching a plan to raise awareness among smokers, install urban ashtrays, as well as to launch a project for the utilisation of  cigarette butts via pocket ashtrays, the service said.

Coastal municipality launches pilot program for waste management

The Municipality of Pigadakia in the southern Athenian suburb of Voula is launching a pilot program for Greece's first source-sorting waste management system.

Following an awareness raising campaign carried out over the last few weeks, the program starts on Monday with the municipal authority distributing color-coded bags.

New Plan for Taxing Waste Disposal

The payment of a "garbage fee" changes dramatically. The current principle on which the municipality's waste of garbage was formed is based on the tax assessment of the property, but this method remains in the past. Instead, the polluter pays principle is introduced. Such a decision was taken today by the Council of Ministers, which approved amendments to the Local Taxes and Fees Act.

Garbage Fee in Bulgaria May Be Divided into 2 Payments

Bulgaria's Finance Ministry has proposed to divide the garbage fee into two parts.

One part of the payment will be for cleaning public spaces and the other part for collecting household waste.

If the amendments to the Local Taxes and Fees Act are approved, the new garbage fee will enter into force in the beginning of 2015, according to reports of econ.bg.