Why investing in local recycling pays off

Over the course of five years, six new recycling plants have opened in Belgium, where plastic packaging from the PMD bag is recycled to produce new raw materials. This is despite the fact that, during the same period, a great deal of capacity has been lost in Europe. It is the result of a deliberate long-term strategy that is now bearing fruit.

Recycling is, and will remain, the indispensable final link in the circular economy. As soon as packaging – whether single-use or reusable – reaches the end of its life cycle, we have to do everything we can to keep the materials in the cycle.

However, the European recycling sector is not having an easy time of it. Cheap virgin plastics and high energy costs make it difficult to find sufficient markets for recycled materials. Consequently, a great deal of capacity has been lost in Europe in recent years.

Against the tide

Yet in Belgium, we are seeing exactly the opposite trend. Thanks to long-term contracts and guaranteed volumes, we have created a great deal of new capacity in this country, together with our partners. This is thanks to a deliberate long-term strategy – between 2020 and 2022, we issued six calls for proposals to develop recycling capacity domestically, in each case for a specific flow from the PMD bag.

Today, more than half of the plastic packaging that we collect from the Belgian public is recycled at these new Belgian recycling centres. This share will rise even further once all the new plants are operating at full capacity.

From and for the Belgian market

This local approach is perfectly in line with Fost Plus’s vision. Recycling locally is more sustainable, as the material does not have to be transported over long distances. The proximity of our recycling partners also enables us to work closely together – although a particular item may be perfectly recyclable in theory, in practice further research and extensive testing are often required for this recycling to be truly successful.

In addition, we gain a better understanding of the final destination of the material, which is also made available to Belgian companies, many of which are Fost Plus members. FILAO, the recycling plant in Couillet near Charleroi, is a perfect example of this. Here, PET bottles that we collect from Belgian households are recycled to make new bottles, which are then sold again in Belgian shops.

Breakthrough for chemical recycling

Our local strategy also makes full use of the opportunities offered by innovative technologies, including chemical recycling. For example, since October 2025, Colruyt has been stocking fresh meat products packaged in foam trays made from recycled polystyrene sourced from Indaver’s Plastics2Chemicals plant in the Port of Antwerp.

The material comes from yoghurt pots and foam trays that are collected in the PMD bag. Thanks to chemical recycling, they offer the same quality as new plastic: the trays look exactly the same, are suitable for direct contact with meat, and can be put back in the PMD bag after use.

Sixth plant to be operational shortly

The last of the six planned centres will become operational in the summer of 2026. Morssinkhof Rymoplast has built a new recycling plant in Lommel for polypropylene packaging (such as butter tubs) and polyethylene packaging (such as shampoo bottles), with an annual capacity of 24,000 tonnes of packaging. The video below gives you a sneak peek.