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Why are some communes dirtier

From the archives

Aug 30, 2011

Question

Being new in Brussels, I wanted to understand why some communes are dirtier than others.

I'm staying in the ambiorix square area, and if you go down the street on Rue de Eburons, you are in the St. Josse area, which is significantly dirtier than the ambiorix area.

Friend I'm staying with who is very politically correct says it is because is an 'exotic' area, but don't all the taxes pay for all the communes to be cleaned the same way, or are the communes alloted to clean their areas?

And just a side story...today I was coming back on bus 63 from central station, and right on Rue de Eburons, there was a lady with a little girl who appeared to be 3, 4 years old. The little girl was squatting down, peeing on the sidewalk with the mom hurrying her along. A bit disappointing to see that happening in Belgium, but I suppose is part of the exotic charm.

Answer

From the archives Aug 30, 2011 14:29

The cleanliness issue, my own interpretation, for all it's worth, is that it takes two to tango, and that both parties participate.
The squatting you will see occasionally. Lack of public toilets is a real inconvenience. It is not always that you have a department store near when your bladder is about to burst. In my experience many coffee shops and bars do not like people to go in just to use the toilet. Several times I purchased a cup of coffee for 1.80 and didn't even drink it. On several other occasions I had to drive like a maniac down avenue Louise in order to get to the Bois de la Cambre in time!

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