With an average of 26.1 kg of PMD collected per resident, Belgians remain top sorters in 2025. Recycling is also increasingly happening locally — more than half of the collected plastics are recycled in Belgium.
These are two key conclusions from the 2025 Activity Report published by Fost Plus.
15 blue bags per inhabitant
The circular economy starts at home. Packaging can only be recycled if it is sorted. And Belgians continue to excel at this: last year, an average of 26.1 kg of PMD (Plastiques, Métaux, Drink cartons) was collected per person, equivalent to around 15 blue bags per person per year. Belgians also sorted about 23.7 kg of paper-cardboard packaging per person and 27.7 kg of glass, both a slight decrease compared to the previous year. Together, this amounts to no less than 77.4 kg of household packaging per resident.
On track for European 2030 targets
What we put in the PMD bag is also given a second life, as new packaging or products. Here too, we are performing well. Last year, no less than 74% of all plastic household packaging placed on the Belgian market by our members was recycled — one of the highest figures in Europe for years. This puts us perfectly on track to meet the targets set by the new European Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation.
Investments in local recycling pay off
Recycling is also increasingly taking place close to home through local processing, making the process more sustainable. Three quarters of all collected packaging is recycled in Belgium. For plastics, this figure is 51%, again an increase. That is certainly not a given. While the growth of recycled plastic on the European market nearly stalled in recent years, Belgian recycling capacity continued to grow. And that is not only good for the environment, but also for the local economy.
Source: Fost Plus
