As sustainability becomes a central concern for citizens and businesses alike, Fost Plus is doubling down on its commitment to transparency and local recycling infrastructure. Through its educational outreach and strategic investments, the organization is reshaping how packaging waste is managed in Belgium—while tackling persistent myths head-on.
“Do Our Blue Bags Go to Asia?” – Fost Plus Sets the Record Straight
One of the most common misconceptions circulating on social media is that Belgium’s blue PMD bags are shipped overseas for recycling. To address this, Fost Plus launched the second episode of its podcast series, Trash or Treasure.
The podcast explores the real journey of packaging waste—from household sorting to advanced recycling facilities in Belgium. The episode highlights how better sorting leads to higher recycling rates and ensures that materials stay within Europe’s circular economy.
Why Fost Plus Is Investing in Domestic Recycling Capacity
By 2024, 74% of all packaging materials collected from Belgian households were recycled close to home, thanks to sustained investment in local infrastructure. This shift means that recycled materials are now available as raw inputs for Belgian businesses, while the sector benefits from new sustainable jobs.
Belgium has emerged as a recycling hub, with six new sorting centres built to support the extended PMD collection system. These facilities are strategically located to optimize transport and efficiency.
New recycling centres include:
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FILAO in Charleroi
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Ecoo in Beringen and Houthalen-Helchteren
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Plastics2Chemicals in Antwerp
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MOPET in Neufchâteau – Europe’s first large-scale recycler of PET trays and opaque bottles
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Lommel – under construction to process polypropylene and polyethylene packaging
These investments are essential to meet new EU legislation requiring minimum percentages of recycled content in plastic packaging. As of 2025, 49% of plastic packaging is processed in Belgium—up from just 9% in 2020. Once all six plants are operational, this figure will rise to 75%, with the remainder handled by EU partners.
“In this economic context, developing sustainable recycling markets in Europe is particularly challenging. We at Fost Plus are making a real difference by offering our partners long-term prospects and investing together in local recycling capacity.” — Mik Van Gaever, COO of Fost Plus