On this page you will find from module 4:
Assignment Meuse River-organisation Mooimakers
In this assignment you answer three multiple choice questions and one open questions after you have watched the interview video. Underneath each question you see an answerbox. Within this box you will write your answer. When you have done this you go to the following question and do the same.
When you arrived at the last question & answer, you click on the box: Finish
At this moment you will see which answers are correct. Besides seeing which answer is correct of the multiple-choice questions, you also see the general feedback for the open questions.
The river Meuse crosses several national borders, making the plastic litter issue also an cross-border problem of France, Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands. As each country is differently organised, different organisations feel an responsibility to respond to the plastic litter problem of the Meuse River. These different organisations are working together in the project LIVES.
In the introduction video you have see several people from different organisations. In this assignment we will have a closer look at the organisation OVAM, the public waste agency of Flanders. This governmental organisation is the principal authority for sustainable management of waste, materials and soils in the Belgian region of Flanders (OVAM, 2021). OVAM collaborates with garbage collectors and local authorities in the organisation Mooimakers (literally translated in English “Beautiful-makers”), with the aim to solve the litter problem.
First watch the interview video of Tijl Aerts, pay special attention to the first part on the activities of OVAM and what types of instruments they use.
See the video: Plastic Litter governance – Mooimakers
Based on the video, answer the following questions:
Results
#1. 1. Who does Tijl Aerts see as responsible for plastic litter and how does his organisation OVAM take its responsibility for the plastic litter problem?
Multiple answers are correct, example answer:
In the interview Tijl Aerts indicates everybody is responsible for the plastic litter problem, indicated by the OVAM motto: Nobody guilty, everybody responsible”(“Niemand schuldig, iedereen verantwoordelijk”)
OVAM take their responsibility through their different activities that are focused on the reduction of plastic litter, ranging from public campaigns to raising awareness to interaction with plastic producers to highlight producer responsibility.
#2. 2. In the response to plastic litter by OVAM, they mainly focus on: ? (more options possible)
Select all that apply:
The correct answers are A & C!
The main focus of OVAM (and their collaboration in Mooimakers) is on waste disposal and the prevention of litter ending up in the environment. For example in their focus on garbage cans and information to the general public not to throw litter on the ground. However also the answer of the production of plastic is correct. OVAM is also implementing the European directive on the reduction of single plastic and has interactions with plastic producers, for example through their producers responsibility to pay for the clean-up of litter.
#3. 3. Which instruments does OVAM/Mooimakers use to reduce plastic litter? ? (more options possible)
Select all that apply:
The correct answers are A & C!
OVAM uses predominantly the communicational instruments of providing information to people in their public campaigns in order to prevent litter. For example, the communication message for kayakers on their equipment to keep the river ‘Kleine Nete’ clean.
However, also OVAM also uses the juridical instrument. OVAM has the authority to act on juridical instruments that indicate littering is prohibited and they can give fines to people that throw away their litter in the environment.
#4. 4. What do you see as an important challenge for OVAM to reduce the plastic litter in the Meuse River?
Multiple answers are correct, example answer:
What you see as an important challenge is your personal perspective. A challenge that Tijl Aerts explains in the video is combining the direct cleaning up with long-term actions to prevent new plastic litter entering the river and streams. In order to keep the public motivated for clean-up actions, activities to reduce the source of plastic litter are also very important.
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