The packaging we collect from Belgian households has been recycled close to home for many years now. By 2024 recycling accounted for almost 74% of all packaging materials collected, thanks to continued investment in building local recycling capacity. This means that recycled materials are becoming available as raw materials for local businesses, while new, sustainable jobs are giving a boost to the recycling sector.
The situation in European recycling markets is not easy. The price of virgin plastics has remained historically low, preventing growth in the use of recycled content to stagnate. At the same time, high energy prices have made it even harder for European recycling companies to compete with the influx of cheap plastics from outside the EU. By investing alongside the sector, we are proving that a different approach is possible, while establishing Belgium as a leader in recycling and sustainable raw materials management.
Sorting and recycling centres here in Belgium
In recent years Belgium has become a real hub for recycling packaging. For example, the introduction of the extended PMD collection was accompanied by six new sorting centres built specifically to sort the packaging we collect from Belgian households. These centres are strategically located throughout the country so that transportation of the bags can be organised as efficiently as possible. Several new recycling centres have already opened, including FILAO in Charleroi, Ecoo in Beringen and Houthalen-Helchteren and Plastics2Chemicals in Antwerp.
Investing in new capacity
There will be two more new recycling centres in the coming years. In July 2024 Morssinkhof-Rymoplast, Fost Plus and Idelux laid the foundation stone for MOPET in Neufchâteau. This plant will be one of the first in Europe to recycle PET trays and opaque PET bottles like milk bottles on a large scale, producing high-quality materials that can be reused for beverage and food products.
In Lommel, building work on a recycling centre for packaging made from polypropylene (like butter tubs) or from polyethylene (like shampoo bottles) began in June 2025. The two factories will have an important role in meeting the requirements in the new European legislation, which sets minimum percentages for the use of recycled content in plastic packaging.
For plastics recycling, this means that 49% of what we collect from Belgian citizens is now being processed in Belgian recycling centres, up from just 9% in 2020. Once all six new plastic recycling plants are operational, this figure will rise further to 75%. The remainder is handled by partners in neighbouring countries, and therefore remains within the EU.
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.