Sorting out waste!

The Flemish waste policy and sorting system score highly. Thanks to the efforts of all its residents Belgium is an example to the rest of Europe when it comes to sorting waste. More than 95% of residents sort their waste at home. CO2 emissions are reduced by 670,000 tonnes annually because people sort their waste. An achievement of which we are very proud. You too are expected to sort your waste along with the rest of us.
To collect waste it must first be sorted. Don’t put all waste together. This is important to be able to recycle the waste. Dumping waste in the wild or along public roads is prohibited. This page explains how to sort your household waste:  www.betersorteren.be

The overview provided below will help you sort your household waste:

Paper and cardboard

Newspapers, magazines, boxes, etc. can only be recycled if they are unsoiled. They must be clean when you throw them out.
Attention: Do not put tissues, kitchen towels, stickers, drinks containers, carbon paper and wallpaper, dirty or greasy paper and cellophane in with the new paper. These go in the bag for unsorted waste.

Plastic, metals and drink containers 

Soft plastics and small hard plastic items go in the blue bag. For example: yoghurt and margarine containers, plastic packaging, foil, etc. Plastic containers (bottles), metals and drinks containers can be recycled into new packaging, textiles, etc.
Attention: Do not put dirty containers in this bag. You must rinse or wash these first.

Food and garden waste

Vegetables, fruit and garden waste, pruning waste, grass clippings and leaves can be used for compost. Composting is the decomposition of plant matter and foodstuffs using oxygen. This waste may be collected from your home. You can also do your own composting in your garden or bring it to the recycling centre.
Attention: Structural timber, charcoal and mussel shells are not suitable for composting.

Household hazardous waste (HHW) or household chemical waste (HCW)

Hypodermic needles, fluorescent lamps, detergents, cosmetics, paint and varnish, used oil, pesticides, etc. are hazardous to your health and the natural environment. These must be disposed of separately. Put regular batteries in the BEBAT collection containers found in supermarkets, petrol stations, etc. Take car batteries to the recycling centre or your garage.
Attention: Take old medicines to the pharmacy.

Glass

Empty bottles and jars without caps or lids. You must separate uncoloured and coloured glass for disposal. Choose the correct bottle bank. The glass can be used to make new containers. You will find bottle banks at supermarkets or at the recycling centre.
Attention: Do not take ceramics, frosted glass, Pyrex and other fire resistant glass, mirrors, windowpanes and light bulbs to the bottle bank; these are considered bulky waste. You must take bulky waste to the recycling centre. 

Used electrical and electronic devices

You can take refrigerators, televisions, computers, washing machines, etc. to the recycling centre free of charge.In Flanders, you can take appliances that are still functional to a thrift shop. When you buy a new appliance similar to your old one, the dealer must take in the old appliance.

Construction and demolition waste

Take construction waste to the recycling centre. This is waste made up of the materials of which your home is constructed such as stones, tiles, etc. 
Attention: Be careful when removing waste which contains asbestos. Asbestos cement must be disposed of separately at the recycling centre. It is important that the container for construction and demolition waste does not become contaminated with asbestos cement. Asbestos is hazardous to people’s health.

Re-usable textiles

Clothing, shoes, bed linens, etc. are collected from your home or you can take them to the recycling centre, textiles containers or a thrift shop.