After De Haan and Blankenberge, Middelkerke is the third coastal commune to make the Click, as well as Namur and Antwerp. Mid-december there are 8,700 users who together have ‘Clicked’ 19,200 times. This means the residents and tourists of Middelkerke are joining the growing group of ‘Clickers’.
“With the Click it’s two for one: we reduce litter and collect more packaging for recycling,” says Steven Boussemaere, Director Innovation & Business Development at Fost Plus. “Thanks to the reward mechanism, with Circular UCoins earned for every piece of waste scanned, we encourage the right sorting behaviour. The app allows everyone to do their bit, wherever and whenever they can.”
The Circular UCoins that you save with this system can be exchanged for advantages at local traders. This boost for the local economic fabric did not escape the notice of trader Ben Goor from Cosea. “Middelkerke is a friendly and democratic seaside town. I can only applaud a project like the Click here. So I said yes right away when they asked me to offer vouchers. It’s important to reward positive behaviour. If you come and exchange a voucher here, you get free extra cream with the purchase of a hot drink or free coffee with the purchase of 2 daily specials; so that’s better value for money. And this way, people get to know my bar, too.”
“We clearly assume our central role here. We assess the most (cost) efficient way of increasing the share of packaging collected for recycling out of home, building on the strengths of the existing system of packaging waste collection at home to do so,” Steven Boussemaere concludes.
The Click is a project initiated by Fost Plus to throw packaging from food and drinks on the go and litter in the appropriate litter bins. Since the proper behaviour is rewarded by increasing purchasing power among local traders, the Click encourages a change in mindset as regards litter and packaging recycling. www.the-click.be
Discover the latest single from West-Flanders singer Paul Bruna “Maak nu de Click”.
