“Every day, I can find a small Import-Export cars card on the window of my vehicle! I have already had 3 in 1 day”writes us a resident of the municipality of Anderlecht via the orange button Alert us. “I don’t find that normal in relation to ecology and the waste that it represents”he laments.
We went to the Ikea car park in Zaventem to find these little cards. And bingo, we found a dozen just by browsing a few aisles. On site, the people interviewed are unanimous: receiving such cards is annoying. “It’s annoying, we get it every time we’re in a parking lot and it doesn’t interest me at all. Besides, it seems questionable to me”says Florent.
We attempted to contact several of these companies. We come across a man each time. All tell us that the practice is legal. Another promises to call us back 10 minutes later to speak to his manager, but ultimately blocks our number.
A company ends up admitting that the practice is illegal but does it anyway, for the sake of simplicity. Before cutting our call short. So we won’t know any more.
A ban on Walloon territory
In Wallonia, the placement of these plastic cards on car windows has been prohibited since February 2019. It was the former Minister of the Environment, Carlo Di Antonio, who is behind this law. The motif used at the time was environmental, since very often these cards end up on the ground because many car owners do not bother to keep it to throw it away later in the trash.
But despite the ban throughout the Walloon territory, these small cards remain. Because in fact, it is difficult to control, explains the cabinet of the alderwoman of the Cleanliness of Namur.
“The reality on the ground shows difficulties in sanctioning these facts. Even if there are findings identified, it is difficult to pursue the procedures because the information on the papers in question is crazy, difficult to access and / or irrelevant. It is complex to clearly identify the exact companies or people behind them”details the cabinet of the alderman.
Only 2 companies sanctioned in Namur: the impossible verbalization of these opaque companies
Since the Walloon Region has decided to penalize this offence, the fine can be between €150 and €200,000. It is the environmental observation officers who are responsible for monitoring this offence. And therefore to verbalize.
But in reality, it remains very complicated: “The information does not in most cases allow them to be linked to a company registered with the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises. We therefore have no address to send the fine”adds the office of the alderman of Namur.
According to figures from the firm, in total, since 2018, the city of Namur has brought 18 proceedings against these companies. But only 7 fines were successful. In total, only 2 companies could be penalized and had to pay a fine:
A company received 5 fines;
Another received 2.
And in Brussels, is there a ban?
In Brussels, no ban at regional level. But some municipalities have implemented a dissuasive tax. As in Uccle, where it has been at least 500 euros since 2012. But in reality, the efficiency is not maximum either…
“In 15 days, we collected between 300 and 500 cards. In the spring, it can triple or even quadruple”, believes Fredo, cleanliness inspector for the municipality of Uccle. Fredo is responsible for removing these small cards from vehicle windshields. But also, to confiscate them if he manages to catch the posers on the fait accompli.
Despite the dissuasive tax, these small cards remain “a plague”according to Carine Gol, alderman of the Cleanliness of Uccle. “You have to be aware that most of the time, when you arrest someone who distributes the cards, it’s not the person responsible. They are very often people who have no official status”she explains.
The individuals placing these cards are never responsible for the car buying/selling activity. Mostly on temporary stay, sometimes minors, these little hands go to the Gare du Midi in Brussels where they are given a bag with thousands of cards to distribute. They receive 20 or 30 euros for the day and take the train to different places.
It is therefore very difficult to trace the real authors: “There is never a company name or address to which we could send the verbalization”deplores the alderwoman.
But then, is it effective? “Not 100% effective enough, we still have cards but it helps anyway, and it at least gives us a deterrent. Without the tax, we really wouldn’t be able to do anything”, says Carine Gol. This tax therefore remains an asset for the municipality of Uccle, which is trying to fight against these small plastic cards as best it can. “The advantage is that at least we can confiscate the cards from them, which makes it possible to limit distribution in our municipality”she believes.
Soon the end of these small plastic cards: towards a ban at the federal level for 2024?
The solution could come from the federal government. The cabinet of the Federal Minister for the Environment, Zakia Khattabi, is currently working on a draft Royal Decree to ban single-use plastic throughout Belgium. “Laminated cards are also included in our proposal. We propose an entry into force on February 1, 2024”assures its spokesperson.
The cabinet of Alain Maron, Brussels Minister in charge of Climate Transition and the Environment, supports this draft Royal Decree which also aims “to purely and simply prohibit the placing on the market of these products on the whole of Belgian territory”. If nothing is attempted at the regional level, it is because skills are limited to the use of these plastic products. “A ban of this type would only have symbolic significance here, would be difficult to control, and would have limited effects for the environment”explains the spokesperson for Alain Maron.
This federal project may mark the end of these little laminated cards, and the environmental scourge they represent.