In response to an ongoing disruption in cleanliness services, the Schaerbeek municipality has doubled the frequency of private cleaning efforts in Brussels’ Brabant quarter.
The move follows a nearly two-month suspension of services by Bruxelles-Propreté, the regional cleanliness and maintenance agency, due to safety concerns for their staff.
On Wednesday, the municipality announced that it had allocated €365,000 to hire a private cleaning company to address the service gap. This funding has enabled the company to increase its cleaning schedule from twice a week to four times a week.
Bruxelles-Propreté halted its operations in late June, citing safety issues as the primary reason.
“We are open to the idea of our teams coming back, but the most important aspect for us is security. We must have guidelines for the security of our staff,” said Adel Lassouli, a spokesperson for Bruxelles-Propreté, in an interview with The Brussels Times.
To mitigate the impact of the service suspension, Schaerbeek officials have implemented a series of emergency measures. Councillor for Public Cleanliness Deborah Lorenzino and Acting Mayor Frédéric Nimal expressed their commitment to maintaining cleanliness in the district.
“We understand the distress of the residents, shopkeepers, and other people who frequent the area. That is why we are not giving up and we are continuing to look for solutions to maintain and clean the district,” they stated.
Since the private cleaning service began on July 21, the frequency of cleaning has improved, but officials acknowledge that this is still not enough.
Lorenzino emphasized the need for a more robust cleaning schedule, noting, “Ensuring the cleanliness of this particularly busy and densely populated area would require a daily operation, seven days a week.”
The ongoing discussions between the municipality and Bruxelles-Propreté are still unresolved, leaving the timeline for the restoration of full services uncertain.
For Bruxelles-Propreté, the resolution of the matter depends on balancing speed with thoroughness. “It’s a case of as quickly as possible or as slowly as necessary,” Lassouli remarked.
Residents and business owners in the Brabant quarter have expressed frustration over the disruption, highlighting the critical need for consistent cleaning to manage waste and maintain public hygiene in the area.
As the municipality and Bruxelles-Propreté continue to negotiate, Schaerbeek officials remain focused on interim solutions to address cleanliness issues.
The municipality’s commitment to improving the situation underscores its dedication to supporting the community and ensuring that public spaces remain clean and welcoming.
The situation remains fluid, and both residents and local authorities await further developments in the negotiations to restore full cleaning services to the Brabant quarter.
