From understanding to action: how Flemish schoolchildren learn to sort waste

Habits we pick up young stay with us for life. When children learn to see waste as a valuable resource, they grow up thinking differently about avoiding, reusing and sorting. That's why Fost Plus and OVAM have long offered Flemish schools a free workshop programme, tailored to every age group, from kindergarten to secondary school.

An offer for every classroom

Today's children are the ambassadors of a cleaner world tomorrow. That takes more than a single lesson — it takes an offer that matches their age and their world. The Fost Plus school programme consists of four actions:

• Wat is er aan de hand in Viesvuilland? — workshops for kindergarten and the 1st stage of primary school
• RE-ACTIE — workshops voor de 2e en 3e graad lager onderwijs
• Ik zie wat jij niet ziet — teaching materials for secondary school teachers
• Trash Talk — a 3-part TV soap plus teaching materials for secondary school teachers

All materials are developed together with specialised partners such as GoodPlanet and Ed-TV. Inneke Hanssen, go-to-market coordinator at Fost Plus: "We know what we want to say, and they know how to make that message land best. Together, we create impact."

RE-ACTIE: same ambition, sharper name

During the 2025-2026 school year, over 3,300 workshops took place in Flemish schools. Yet the programme for the 2nd and 3rd stages of primary school got a new name — and for good reason.

Workshop content is continuously updated to stay in step with the latest circular trends, policy measures and changes to sorting rules. Classroom conversations increasingly cover reusable packaging, prevention and refilling your own cup — and less and less about packaging sorting alone.

"Over time, the name no longer matched the content," says Inneke Hanssen. "The new name RE-ACTIE is a nod to the 5R strategy — reuse, reduce, recycle, repair, rethink — and action is exactly what we want to achieve."

Schools across Flanders can sign up for RE-ACTIE and the other workshops. Participation is completely free, thanks to funding from OVAM and Fost Plus.

Habits start young. With the right offer at the right moment, we help the next generation not only sort better, but also think more consciously about what they consume and throw away. That's what RE-ACTIE stands for.