2.1. New accreditation
On 2 February 2024, with a slight delay, the IRPC granted a new accreditation to Fost Plus as a compliance organisation for the management of household packaging waste. This accreditation is valid from 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2028.
![FostPluskantorengebouw](https://av23.ivcie.be/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/FostPluskantorengebouw.jpg)
2.2. Sorting and recycling
The expanded blue bag has been used throughout Belgium since the end of 2021. Since 2023 this bag has been sorted into a minimum of 16 fractions in brand-new sorting plants, with the aim of ensuring recycling of the highest possible quality. The new sorting facilities came into operation in 2021 and 2022.
The fractions concerned are:
- Transparent PET bottles, colourless
- Transparent PET bottles, blue
- Transparent PET bottles, other colours
- Opaque PET (bottles)
- PET trays
- HDPE
- PP
- PS
- Mixed PO
- PE films
- Other films
- Drink cartons
- Ferrous metals
- Aluminium
- Small aluminium
- Residual waste
The high-quality fractions that come out of the new sorting plants must also be recycled to the highest possible standards.
Fost Plus has therefore arranged new recycling contracts for plastics to ensure that recycling is as circular as possible. At the same time, steps have been taken to maximise the amount of recycling carried out in Belgium.
This will be made possible by the construction of new recycling plants, which are either already up and running or are due to start up in 2024.
![Tom D'haenens-TD1_1561_Willebroek](https://av23.ivcie.be/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Tom-Dhaenens-TD1_1561_Willebroek.jpg)
2.2.1. Sorting plants
![Filao-eindproduct-Activiteitenverslag-IVCIE-2023](https://av23.ivcie.be/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Filao-eindproduct-Activiteitenverslag-IVCIE-2023.png)
2.2.2. Recycling plants
![status recyclage-glas-fost-plus-acitivteitenverslag-2023-IVCIE](https://av23.ivcie.be/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/status-recyclage-glas-fost-plus-acitivteitenverslag-2023-IVCIE.png)
2.2.3. Recycling situation in 2022
2.2.1. Sorting plants
The expanded PMD stream will be sorted entirely in Belgium.
Five new sorting plants have been built for this purpose, spread across the country.
![Sorteercentra-kaart België-IVCIE-activiteitenverslag-2023](https://av23.ivcie.be/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Sorteercentra-kaart-Belgie-IVCIE-activiteitenverslag-2023.png)
Indaver
- Willebroek
- Operational since December 2020
- Annual tonnage: 60,000 tonnes
Valtris
- Couillet (Charleroi)
- Operational since June 2021
- Annual tonnage: 40,000 tonnes
Val’Up
- Ghlin (Bergen)
- • Operational since 4th quarter of 2021
- Annual tonnage: 50,000 tonnes
Prezero
- Evergem
- Operational since January 2021
- Annual tonnage: 78,000 tonnes
Sitel
- Engis (Hermalle-sous-Huy)
- Operational since 2nd quarter of 2023
- Annual tonnage: nearly 40,000 tonnes
Vanheede’s existing sorting plant (Rumbeke), which specialises, among other things, in sorting PMD collected from companies and post-sorting PMD residues, is also used as back-up to sort the new PMD fraction.
![BigBagpaillettesPET](https://av23.ivcie.be/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/BigBagpaillettesPET.jpg)
2.2.2. Recycling plants
The various plastic streams are processed to a high standard thanks to the existence of new (or rebuilt) recycling centres in Belgium and the fact that long-term contracts have been signed. Belgium is thus focusing on recycling within its national borders to ensure optimal quality and control.
![Recyclagefabrieken-map-activiteitenverslag-2023-IVCIE](https://av23.ivcie.be/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Recyclagefabrieken-map-activiteitenverslag-2023-IVCIE-2.png)
- Beringen
- Operational since May 2022
- Annual tonnage: 42,000 tonnes
Recycling of mixed plastics: MPO (mixed polyolefins) and mixed films (other than PE films). Mixed films and MPO plastics are recycled into MPO regranulate (400-2000 microns), MPO agglomerate and regrind for industrial applications, such as compost bins, sustainable garden edging and benches.
- Houthalen-Helchteren
- New line operational since January 2021
- Annual tonnage: 24,000 tonnes (this capacity may be increased by adding a third line)
- Neufchâteau
- Operational in 2024
- Annual tonnage: 28,000 tonnes
- Couillet (Charleroi)
- Operational since 2023
- Annual tonnage: 40,000 tonnes
A new recycling plant is also being built in Lommel for PP and HDPE and should be operational by mid-2025.
2.2.3. Recycling situation in 2022
Currently, Fost Plus packaging waste is already recycled only in the European Union and 81% is even recycled in Belgium.
![EN_Recycling situation in 2022](https://av23.ivcie.be/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/EN_Recycling-situation-in-2022-2.png)
1 Slovakia: 0.02%
In the case of plastic packaging waste, only 21% of recycling took place in Belgium in 2022 (Ecoo). This is because many of our new recycling plants were still under construction.
The Netherlands
transparent PET colourless, transparent PET blue, transparent PET green, transparent PET other colours, HDPE, PP, PET trays, opaque PET, PS, PE films, plastic films (mixed)
33.2%
France
transparent PET colourless, transparent PET blue, transparent PET green, transparent PET other colours, HDPE, PP, PET trays, opaque PET
17.9%
Germany
transparent PET green, transparent PET other colours, HDPE, PP, PS, PE films
13.5%
Belgium
mixed plastics, Mixed PO, plastic films (mixed, PE, other), PP, PET trays, opaque PET
21.4%
Spain
plastic films (mixed, PE, other)
8.8%
Italy
transparent PET colourless, HDPE, PP, opaque PET, PS, plastic films (mixed)
2.5%
Austria
HDPE, PP, PS
0.6%
Switzerland
other colours of PET
1.9%
Slovakia
PET trays
0.0%1
TOTAL
100.0%
1 Slovakia: 0.02%