Belgium
Belgium has become a world champion when it comes to the sorting and recycling of household packaging waste. This leading position was achieved not only because the vast majority of Belgian citizens sort their waste in a very responsible manner, but also because Fost Plus has implemented an easy and efficient system. Each party involved has a clearly designated role to play. These parties include the citizens, producers and importers of packaged products and packaging, public authorities, municipalities and inter-municipal authorities, and the companies that collect, sort and recycle the packaging materials.
Fost Plus introduced the system of selective collection in 1994 and continues investing in its further optimization. Fost Plus actively encourages citizens to sort properly and respect the guidelines
Legal basis
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European Directive 2004/12/EC and the Cooperation Agreement between the three regions serve as the foundation for Fost Plus’s activities. The Cooperation Agreement tailors the European Directive to Belgium’s specific context and sets clear targets.
In Belgium, waste management policy falls under the responsibility of the Walloon Region, the Flemish Region, and the Brussels-Capital Region. In 1996, these regions established a Cooperation Agreement on the prevention and management of packaging waste, which was later updated in 2009.
Under this agreement, any company that packages or arranges for the packaging of products sold in Belgium must take back used packaging to meet the required recycling and recovery targets:
- An overall recycling rate of 80%
- A total recovery rate of 90%
- Recycling rates ranging from 15% to 60%, depending on the packaging material
This agreement forms the legal framework for packaging waste management in Belgium.
Facts and figures
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Data 2024
| Population | 11,7 mil. |
| No. of local authorities |
589 municipalities |
| Packaging introduced to the market |
Over 1.9 million tonnes in 2022 |
| Recovered waste |
80% of packaging waste recycled in 2022 |
| Types of packaging | Household packaging, Commercial & Industrial Packaging |
Packaging organisation/s in Belgium:
