Belgium's domestic plastic recycling surges sixfold in four years
Belgium recycled almost six times as much plastic packaging domestically in 2025 as it did four years earlier, according to the latest annual figures from Fost Plus, the organisation responsible for the recycling and reuse of household packaging in Belgium. The result is all the more striking given the crisis gripping the European plastic recycling sector.
The volume of plastic packaging waste recycled within Belgium has risen sharply, from 13,463 tonnes in 2021 to 74,236 tonnes in 2025. That means around 51 per cent of recycled plastic waste was processed domestically last year, compared to just 12 per cent in 2021. Three new plastic packaging recycling centres have opened in Belgium over the past two years, with two more set to follow this year.
While greater recycling capacity has been available in Belgium for some time, that capacity must also be filled. Fost Plus spokesperson Valerie Bruyninckx points to 2021 as the main driver of growth. From that year on, far more types of plastic were permitted in the blue PMD (Plastic packaging, Metal packaging, Drinks cartons) waste bag, which led to a significant increase in the volumes being recycled.
Bucking the European trend
The fact that more than half of Belgium's recycled plastic waste is now processed domestically is not to be taken for granted, says Fost Plus CEO Francis Huysman. "The European market for recycled plastic is struggling enormously." According to the sector federation Plastics Recyclers Europe, this is largely due to competition from outside the EU, where producers benefit from lower costs and less regulation.
Belgium's relative resilience comes down to strategy, according to Bruyninckx. "In Belgium, we have deliberately opted for long-term contracts with recyclers, giving them far greater certainty and making them less exposed to market fluctuations." The quality of Belgian recycled plastic is another asset. "Many recyclers in our country are committed to innovation and technological progress, and you can see that in the quality."
Of the 49 per cent of PMD waste not recycled domestically in 2025, most went to specialised centres in the Netherlands (29 per cent) and Germany (11 per cent). In all cases, it remained within Europe. That is a deliberate choice, Bruyninckx stresses. "The more you develop the sector here in our region, the better," she says.
© BELGA PHOTO JONAS VAN BOXEL
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