Belgium recycled nearly six times more household plastic packaging in 2025 than it did four years earlier, according to the latest annual report from Fost Plus.
Last year, 74% of all household plastic packaging placed on the Belgian market was recycled, with around half of that material processed in recycling facilities within Belgium.
The figures come at a time when growth in recycled plastic use has largely stalled across Europe.
"While growth in recycled plastics on the European market has virtually stopped in recent years, Belgium has continued investing in its local recycling capacity," said Francis Huysman.
Domestic processing has increased dramatically over the past four years. In 2021, just 12% of recycled plastic was treated in Belgium. That figure has now risen to 51%.
The volume of plastic processed domestically has climbed from 13,463 tonnes in 2021 to 74,236 tonnes in 2025.
Belgium currently has five plastic recycling centres, with two additional facilities due to open this summer in Lommel and Neufchâteau.
The system's success relies heavily on household sorting habits.
According to Fost Plus, each Belgian sorted an average of 26kg of PMD packaging waste last year, equivalent to around 15 blue recycling bags per person.
Belgians also sorted an average of 23.7kg of paper and cardboard packaging and 27.7kg of glass per person, although both figures were slightly lower than in 2024.
Huysman credited citizens for helping Belgium maintain its position among Europe's best-performing recycling nations.
"Belgium has been among Europe's leaders in recycling for many years, and that is largely thanks to its citizens," he said.
According to Fost Plus, recycling and reusing packaging helped Belgium avoid approximately 954,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions in 2025.
