The commune of Torhout is joining the Click, the innovative Fost Plus project that aims to combat litter with a reward system. In collaboration with Fost Plus, the commune of Torhout mainly wants to reach young people, a target group who are often less receptive to conventional approaches. So the ‘gamification’ aspect of the Click is more likely to appeal to them. To highlight this collaboration, some of the city’s litter bins have been decorated in the Click colours to attract the attention of local people and visitors.
One of these is the mobile bin near the railway station. It’s a place that is known for litter. So the Click is a positive approach in the immediate vicinity of young people that focuses on the social norms that we want to encourage.
The Click is an innovative and ambitious project that aims to encourage a change of behaviour as regards rubbish in public places. The app is designed to encourage everyone to throw waste from food and drinks on the go, or litter picked up in the streets, into the appropriate bin. It is easy to use: people simply have to scan the bar code on the rubbish or take a photo and then throw it in a public bin. This civic gesture is rewarded by Circular UCoins, virtual points that can be exchanged for a Torhout city gift card or other attractive advantages available from Click partners.
Modern challenges need modern solutions. Everyone knows that litter is not acceptable, but nevertheless, waste often ends up on the ground. With the Click, we are helping everyone to understand that litter has value thanks to recycling. A reward project like this is in line with Fost Plus’s goal to ensure that all packaging is recycled.
Many other towns, cities and communes, businesses and organisations have already joined the Click project. People can Click all over Belgium. On 24 April 2023, the Click had 76,000 users, representing a total of 692,000 Clicks or pieces of rubbish that found their way into the correct bin.
