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Info & obligations

  • Obligations of sorting
  • The bonus
  • Why sort?
  • Getting started
  • List of waste collectors
  • Documents to download

Professional waste sorting and management obligations

As a professional in Brussels, whether you manage a business, a restaurant,  a snack bar, or represent a company or an association, you are responsible for the processing of the waste produced by your professional activity.

All companies are obligated to sort their waste. These “companies” are all entities registered with the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises (CBE): independents, physical persons, companies, charities, Public Welfare Centre, administrations… So as soon as you have a business number and you produce waste, you are subject to this obligation.

The obligation to sort waste implies that you can’t dispose of all of your waste in bulk in your residual waste container. You need to separate it by waste flow (type).

In addition to sorting its waste, your business or company must ensure that its waste is managed correctly. Specifically, this means that you will have to supply evidence of waste management. This waste management evidence must contain detailed information about the waste sorted, that has been collected from you or that you have delivered, to be provided by your waste collector or processing centre.

Every business in Brussels has been obligated to sort its waste since 2014. To achieve this, it is important to understand that each flow (type) of waste has its own sorting rules.

What are your obligations in 2020?

As a professional operating in Brussels, you must:

1. Sort your waste according to the following categories:

  • PMD

    • Plastic bottles and flasks
    • Metal packaging
    • Drink cartons
  • Paper - Cardboard

    Clean and dry

  • White transparent packaging glass and coloured transparent packaging glass

  • Residual waste

  • Plant waste

    Green waste produced from the maintenance of green spaces and gardens.

  • Waste that must legally be recovered:

    • Used frying fats and oils
    • Batteries
    • Electrical and electronic equipment waste
    • Medications
    • Tyres
    • Used oils
    • End-of-life vehicles
    • Photovoltaic panels
  • Hazardous waste

    Waste of any origin with hazardous properties. This means harmful to living organisms and the environment: flammable, toxic, oxidant, corrosive, radioactive, etc.

  • Waste from animal by-products

    Waste from butchers’/fishmongers’ activities

2. Demonstrate that your waste is managed correctly

in a document delivered by:
— A registered collector in the Brussels Capital Region if your waste is collected.
— A processing centre or a container park/Recypark if it is delivered there (by you).

 

You will have to keep this evidence for at least 5 years.

What to do if you don’t know who to contact to have your waste collected?

See the bottom of this page to find the most active waste collectors in Brussels or all registered (collection of non-hazardous waste) and approved (collection of hazardous waste) collectors via the Brussels Environment website.

How to achieve a bonus?

Are you starting to sort your business’, restaurant’s, snack bars, company’s or organisation’s PMD waste? In this case, you can claim a welcome bonus of 75 Euros!

 

The welcome bonus is destined for businesses and organisations that want to start sorting their PMD waste and who have signed a contract for collection for the first time with a Fost Plus partner waste collector, before 31 December 2020.

Only one bonus is allocated per business number. This bonus is valid one time only.

Caution! The bonus can’t be claimed after a change of PMD waste collector.

How to claim the welcome bonus?

  • 1

    Contact a Fost Plus partner waste collector.

  • 2

    Sign a contract for the collection of your PMD waste.

  • 3

    Your waste management partner will help you with the specific steps you need to take to claim the bonus.

Why sort your waste?

First of all, waste sorting is a legal obligation in the Brussels Capital Region.
Waste sorting also presents numerous advantages for society and for you as a professional, in particular.

  • 1. Waste sorting is a form of sustainable resource management.

    Our method of consumption incurs the production of increasing amounts of waste. Sorting the waste makes it possible to recycle it better, to give it a second life by transforming it into new objects. And this recycling is beneficial for the environment because it makes it possible to:

    – limit the exhaustion of natural resources;
    – save energy resources;
    – avoid excessive CO2production;
    – produce new items.

    By sorting your waste, you therefore contribute to more sustainable management of materials.

  • 2. Waste sorting is beneficial to your image.

    Waste sorting has become the norm. Organisations can no longer allow themselves to throw everything together into one bag or container with residual waste without a second thought. Colleagues, visitors, clients, partners and suppliers will certainly appreciate being able to sort their waste in your business like at home.

  • 3. Sorting waste doesn't require any significant investment.

    It is relatively simple to set up waste sorting and most citizens are already used to sorting their waste at home  => Find the steps for successful waste sorting in the “Getting started” section below.

    The better you sort your waste, the lower the financial cost to you, since it is cheaper to have recyclable waste collected than residual waste that can’t be recycled. For example, the collection of PMD, paper -cardboard or glass is on average 3 to 4 times cheaper than the collection of residual waste!

     

Getting started

By respecting the five steps, you will establish a solid basis for a successful waste sorting project: commitment, monitoring, infrastructure, communication and logistics.

Go to the website of Fost Plus for more information on those five stages.

  • 1. Commitment

    • Commitment of the manager of your business, restaurant or snack bar or your company’s or organisation’s representative (CSR, environmental policy…)
    • Announcement of the fact that “here, we sort our waste”
    • A firm commitment to sort waste with a view to recycling
    • Appointment of a waste manager within the establishment
    • Allocation of a budget
  • 2. Monitoring

    • Analysis of the baseline situation (as regards waste) within the establishment
    • Regular checks of the quality of the waste sorting
    • Monitoring of the quantities picked up by the waste collector
    • Feedback to the staff and clients/visitors (positive and negative)
  • 3. Infrastructure

    • Good waste sorting clusters, in a visible location (waste sorting clusters = waste containers grouped together)
    • Suitable waste containers (suited to the type of waste and volume with identification of the category of waste to be sorted)

    for PMC: a blue waste container with a round hole to insert the waste; for paper-cardboard: a yellow waste container with a slit; for glass: a green waste container with a round hole; for residual waste: a black or dark grey waste container without a lid

    • Respecting the colour codes (so blue waste containers for PMD)
    • Use suitable bags (so blue ones for PMC)
    • Clear and visible waste sorting instructions (what goes where)

    Use the stickers created as part of the RECYCLE BXL PRO campaign (download them for free at the bottom of this page) or order free stickers from Fost Plus

  • 4. Communication

    • Information, motivation and involvement of all staff / visitors (via different channels), from the start
    • Communication on the waste sorting clusters (for staff, but also for visitors)

    Use the posters created as part of the RECYCLE BXL PRO campaign (download them for free at the bottom of this page)

    • Staff training (e.g.: e-learning)
  • 5. Logistics

    Involvement of the end-to-end logistics chain:

    • cleaning staff: training, provision of bags, maintenance of waste containers
    • waste collector: contract, requirement for feedback from them; or via the cleaning staff

     

List of waste collectors

Please find below a non-exhaustive list of the waste collectors active in Brussels, who manage the collection of principal waste flows (PMC, paper and cardboard, glass, residual waste) for professionals.

You can find all of the other registered waste collectors for non-hazardous waste here :

See the complete list

Caution, you must use an approved waste collector for your hazardous waste! Find a list of all of the approved waste collectors here.

BONGAERTS RECYCLING

{{'TEL' | translate}} : 011 60 32 58 {{'CONTACT' | translate}} : info@bongaertsrecycling.be {{'SITE_WEB' | translate}} : https://www.bongaertsrecycling.be/en

Bruxelles Propreté

{{'TEL' | translate}} : 0800 981 81 {{'CONTACT' | translate}} : pro@arp-gan.be {{'SITE_WEB' | translate}} : https://www.arp-gan.be/fr/pro.html

COGETRINA

{{'TEL' | translate}} : 069 89 10 10 {{'CONTACT' | translate}} : info@dufour-cranes.com {{'SITE_WEB' | translate}} : https://cogetrina.be/en/

G-TRI

{{'TEL' | translate}} : 02 732 70 55 {{'CONTACT' | translate}} : contact form via the website {{'SITE_WEB' | translate}} : https://www.afvalcontainersgids.be/g+tri+sa

MARKETING AND COMMERCIAL ASSISTANCE RECYCLING

{{'TEL' | translate}} : 02 346 44 22 {{'CONTACT' | translate}} : info@mca-recycling.com {{'SITE_WEB' | translate}} : https://www.mca-recycling.com/en/

RENEWI BELGIUM

{{'TEL' | translate}} : 0800 11114 {{'CONTACT' | translate}} : contact form via the website {{'SITE_WEB' | translate}} : https://www.renewi.com/en

SUEZ R&R BE NORTH

{{'TEL' | translate}} : 0800 90 789 {{'CONTACT' | translate}} : contact form via the website {{'SITE_WEB' | translate}} : https://www.suez.be/fr-be

VANHEEDE ENVIRONMENTAL LOGISTICS

{{'TEL' | translate}} : 056 52 16 21 {{'CONTACT' | translate}} : info@vanheede.com {{'SITE_WEB' | translate}} : https://www.vanheede.com/en

If you are a registered non-hazardous waste collector operating in or around Brussels and you want to be featured on this list: Email recyclebxlpro@fostplus.be.

Documents to download

  • Waste sorting guide

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  • Guide of the obligations around waste sorting and management

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  • Posters PMD - paper - cardboard - glass - residual waste

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  • Stickers PMD - paper - cardboard - glass - residual waste

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  • Detailed guide of the 5 steps for a successful sorting project

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  • Checklist for a successful waste sorting project

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  • Guide to choosing waste containers and setting up a suitable waste sorting cluster

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Recycle BXL Pro is an initiative of Fost Plus and Brussels Environment

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