Waste prevention country profile

Belgium
April 2023
© Joël Cavallaro,Well with Nature/EEA
Country profile: Belgium

WASTE GENERATION

The following figures illustrate the progress towards waste prevention and decoupling of waste
generation from economic growth in Belgium.

MSW

• Between 2004 and 2019, the generation of municipal waste per capita1 (see Figure 1)
decreased steadily from 485 kg to 416 kg to increase to 746 kg per capita in 2020.
• The lowest level of waste generation was reached in 2018 (409 kg per capita).
• A steep decreasing trend can be observed between 2011 and 2013, which might be influenced
by the global financial crisis that developed shortly before this period.
• Overall, the Belgian MSW generation of 746 kg per capita in 2020 is above the European
average of 517 kg2 per capita in 2020.

It should be noted that the increase to 746 kg per capita in 2020 is caused by the new calculation
method as described in the Commission implementing decision 2019/1004, and not a real
increase. Before 2020 Belgium reported waste collected by or on behalf of the municipality. The
746 kg per capita also includes similar waste from other origins than households. If the old
calculation method is used, the amount for 2020 is 417 kg per capita, which is 1 kg per capita
more than in 2019.

Figure 1: Municipal waste generation in Belgium (kg per capita), 2004-2020

750

700

650

600

550

500

450
WPP
400
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

Source: Eurostat [ENV_WASMUN]

Total waste

• Total waste generation in Belgium followed a decreasing trend until 2012 and an increasing
trend within the following years (see Figure 2).
• Belgium´s economic growth in terms of GDP increased throughout that time, particularly
between 2012 and 2018.

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 • Although a longer time series is needed to solidify a decoupling conclusion, Belgium does
not seem to be on track to decouple total waste generation from economic growth. This is the
same between waste generation and population growth.

Figure 2: Growth rate of waste (excluding major mineral wastes), GDP (main GDP aggregates, chain
linked), and population, 2010-2020, (2010=100).

110

105

100

95

90

85

80
2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020

Population GDP Waste excluding major mineral wastes

Source: Eurostat [ENV_WASGEN_NAMA_10_PC, DEMO_GIND]

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STRUCTURE OF THE COUNTRY PROFILE

The waste prevention country profile of Belgium is categorized into three subnational parts:
1) Brussels, 2) Flanders and 3) Wallonia.

Country profile: Belgium - Brussels ........................................................................................................4

Country profile: Belgium - FLANDERS ...............................................................................................19
Country profile: Belgium - Wallonia .....................................................................................................37

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Country profile: Belgium - Brussels
General information:

Name
1. of the country/ region Brussels

Coverage
2. of the waste prevention Regional
programme (national/ regional)

Type
3. of programme (stand alone or Integrated into waste management plan
integrated into waste management
plan)
Title
4. of programme and link to Plan de Gestion des Ressources et des Déchets (PGRD): Pour
programme une consommation durable, sobre, locale et circulaire

Pour une société zéro déchet

(https://environnement.brussels/sites/default/files/user_files/p
grd_181122_fr.pdf)

La stratégie Good Food (the Good Food strategy)

Website: https://www.goodfood.brussels/fr/content/la-
strategie-good-food

Duration
5. of programme PGRD: 2018-2023

The programme was adopted on 22 November 2018.

The Good Food strategy: 2016-2020.

The strategy was adopted in December 2015.

Language
6. French/Dutch

Contact
7. person in the PGRD: Mélina Vallier Peeters
country/region ([email protected])

The Good Food strategy: Sandrine Vokaer

([email protected])

Development
8. process of the
programme/ revision

Foreseen
9. budget for No specific budget for the implementation of the programme
implementation of the project is included in the programme.

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WASTE PREVENTION PROGRAMME

Objectives and priorities

1. Waste The general objectives of the PGRD are:

prevention • to promote the transformation towards more sustainable and
objectives of circular consumer practices;
the Programme • to maximise resource conservation and valorisation, if possible
- quantitative locally;
objectives • to lead the economic sector towards circular practices.
(waste In addition, seven strategic objectives have been proposed (p. 35):
reduction) • ensure structured framework of resource and waste policy;
- qualitative • transform household consumption practices and encourage zero
objectives waste practices (consumer behaviour change);
(reduction of • prepare future generations;
hazardous • transform the consumption practices of professional activities
substances/ and encourage zero waste;
environmental • encourage the transition of the construction sector towards
impacts) circular resource and waste management;
• develop sustainable resource management;
• plan and supervise actions of the public and private waste
sectors to meet the needs of the Brussels region.
The strategic objectives have been structured according to their target
audience:
• all audiences;
• households;
• schools (pupils, teachers of compulsory education as well as
higher and vocational education);
• companies, public authorities, associations, retail and trade, the
Horeca sector (hotels, restaurants and cafes), etc.
• construction sector;
• sustainable resource management (bulk, reuse, repair, the
sharing economy, etc.).
• professionals in the traditional waste sector who practise
conventional collection, sorting and recycling.
The general objectives of the Good Food strategy are:
• to increase local and sustainable food production;
• to accompany the relocation and transition of a sustainable offer
for all;
• to accompany the transition of demand for all;
• to develop a sustainable and desirable ‘good food’ culture;
• to reduce food waste;
• to think about and promote the food systems of tomorrow;
• to ensure governance of the implementation of the strategy.
The strategy’s priorities include:
• the development of local food production (in Brussels and its
periphery) in an ecological and innovative approach, to reach 30
% self-sufficiency in fruits and vegetables by 2035;
• awareness and involvement of citizens from an early age;
• reducing food waste by 30 % by 2020;
• taking into account the social and multicultural specificities of
our capital in the development of actions.

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 The general objectives of the Good Food strategy are:
• to increase local and sustainable food production;
• to accompany the relocation and transition of a sustainable offer
for all;
• to accompany the transition of demand for all;
• to develop a sustainable and desirable ‘good food’ culture;
• to reduce food waste;
• to think about and promote the food systems of tomorrow;
• to ensure governance of the implementation of the strategy.

The strategy’s priorities include:

• the development of local food production (in Brussels and its
periphery) in an ecological and innovative approach, to reach 30
% self-sufficiency in fruits and vegetables by 2035;
• awareness and involvement of citizens from an early age;
• reducing food waste by 30 % by 2020;
• taking into account the social and multicultural specificities of
our capital in the development of actions.

2. Sectors • agriculture;
covered • food sector
• construction and infrastructure;
• manufacturing;
• sale,
• retail,
• transport;
• households;
• private service activities,
• hospitality;
• public services.

3. Priority waste
types • food/organic;
• construction and demolition waste;
• hazardous waste;
• household/municipal waste;
• paper;
• packaging;
• waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE)/batteries;
• manufacturing waste;
• other (e.g. textiles, plastics other than packaging, animal by-
products from the processing of meat and fish) (p. 10).

4. Target groups Within the legislative framework Brudalex3,, four target groups
have been distinguished (p. 23): waste management operators,
producers, retailers and non-household waste generators
(companies, public bodies, non-profit organisations).

Section 19 lists all the members of the Steering Committee and the
Coordination Committee.

3
Arrêté du Gouvernement de la Région de Bruxelles-Capitale du 1er décembre 2016 relatif à la gestion des
déchets, MB 13/01/2017.

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 General society — including households and the education sector —
is also a target group.

The Good Food strategy:

The target groups include households, the distribution sector, the
food sector, the agriculture sector, and the public and private
sectors.

Targets, indicators and monitoring

1. Indicators proposed 1. Quantity of household waste

2. Quantity of non-household waste (excluding construction
and demolition waste)
3. Household waste rate of preparation for reuse and recycling
4. Quantity of household WEEE collected
5. Quantity of used household WEEE leaving the preparation
chain for reuse purposes
6. Quantity of household bio-waste recycled
7. Quantity of non-household bio-waste recycled
8. Quantity of plastic packaging recycled
9. Non-household waste rate of preparation for reuse and
recycling (excluding construction and demolition waste)
10. Construction and demolition waste rate of preparation for
reuse and recycling
11. Percentage of households always following at least 15 of
the 31 zero waste practices
12. Percentage of Brussels schools where concrete actions have
taken place in regard to the resources and waste topic
13. Number of construction sites practicing selective
demolition and the reuse of building materials on Brussels
construction sites
14. Adaptation of the regulatory and legislative framework
modernizing the EPR
15. Adoption of a roadmap for bio-waste recovery
16. Rate of adoption of the "Stop ads" sticker
17. Implement measures (legislative or other types of
measures) aimed to reinforce the public authorities
exemplarity
18. Number of events in Brussels that have benefited from a
waste management support
19. Introduction of a bio-waste selective collection
20. Introduction of a household textile waste selective
collection
21. Introduction of a hazardous household waste selective
collection

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2. Quantitative targets Quantitative targets (p. 38):

• Reduce household waste per capita:

o by 5% by 2023;
o by 20% by 2030.
• Reduce non-household waste (excluding construction
and demolition waste) per employee:
o by 5% by 2023;
o by 20% by 2030.
• Achieve the European targets in preparation for reuse
and recycling of household waste:
o 50 % (by weight) by 2020;
o 55 % (by weight) by 2025;
o 60 % (by weight) by 2030;
o 65 % (by weight) by 2035.
• Sub-objectives for the year 2023 include:
o at least a 50 % increase in the amount (weight)
of WEEE reported and collected in Brussels (in
comparison with the amount in 2017);
o a 50 % increase in the amount (weight) of
household WEEE collected to be treated as
waste, or prepared for repair or reuse (in
comparison with the amount in 2017);
o double the amount of biowaste that is being
recycled;
o a 50 % increase in the rate of collecting plastic
packaging, in comparison with 2016.
• Achieve the objective of preparing for reuse and
recycling on non-household waste (excluding
construction and demolition waste):
o 55 % (by weight) by 2020
o 70 % (by weight) by 2030.
• Achieve European targets for reuse and recycling of
construction and demolition waste:
o 90 % (by weight) in 2020.

As written in the plan, separate targets for the reuse of specific

materials will be determined 24 months after the adoption of the
plan in 2019 and in 2020 (p. 40). As a result of regional
activities, the following objectives will have to be achieved by
2023 (p. 40):

The quantified objectives to be achieved in the Brussels-Capital

Region at the end of the agreement (2025) consist in particular
of a minimum increase of 50% in the quantities of used
household electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) leaving the
preparation for reuse sector, compared to the tonnage in 2017.

As of 2022, only a general objective of re-use of 5kg/hab/year

has been defined as well as a specific target for mattresses: from

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 1/01/2023, at least 200 mattresses shall be reused by year after
preparation for reuse by the social economy operators, from
1/01/2025, 300 mattresses and from 01/01/2030, 500 mattrasses.

Other specific materials targets (e.g., textile, furniture…) have

yet to be defined.

• 30 % of households in Brussels are aware of the issues

related to consumption and are taking actions (e.g.
second-hand shopping, do it yourself, etc.).
• 30 % of schools in Brussels have become aware of the
food waste and resource problems and have taken
concrete actions to tackle the problem.
• The number of construction sites engaged in the
demolition and reuse of construction materials have
increased by 50%.
• 100 retail stores in Brussels have transitioned to bulk
shops.
• 100 restaurants in Brussels have developed new
alternatives regarding beverage packaging, disposable
tableware and reusable food packaging.
• Sustainable events will be organised.

For the Good Food strategy, the targets are still being
developed and will be aligned with the European objectives
(defined in 2023 following the European monitoring of
2022)

In the meantime, general objective:

reduction of food waste by 30% by 2025 and 50% by 2030.

Professional training institutions in the catering industry have

integrated practices to fight against food waste.

In 2030, 500 tons of surplus / unsold food are recovered via the
supported projects (between 2016 and 2020: 91 tons).

3. Monitoring of The Strategic Steering Committee monitors the implementation of

programme the programme. The Strategic Steering Committee has the
following role:
to steer, guide and support the implementation of the Government's
programme;
• ensure that the vision, objectives, priorities and guiding
principles of the RWMP are respected during
implementation;
• Note the monitoring reports produced by the Coordinating
Committee;
• validate proposals for reorientation or new actions;
• Report to the Government on the progress of the
implementation of the programme.

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 The Steering Committee meets at least once every six months.
However, it can be called upon at any time to intervene in order to
resolve a blockage or to give an opinion on cross-cutting issues
(p.41)
4. Evaluation of the Every 30 months, an evaluation report on the implementation of
programme the Resources and Waste Management Plan (RWMP) will be
produced by the Coordination Committee and presented for
discussion/advice to the Steering Committee before transmission
to the Government.

The first mid-term evaluation per strategic objective, was

performed in 2021, and considered the qualitative progress, the
actions to come as well as the key indicators of the RWMP. The
evaluation was the result of an in-depth analysis of the pilots of
each of the strategic objectives, enriched by a consultation with
the Strategic Steering Committee. It was concluded that the
RWMP broadly respected its commitments since its publication,
despite the radical change in circumstances brought about by the
health crisis. The evaluation made it possible to analyze the
concrete mid-term results, and to consult and collect the opinion
of Brussels stakeholders, in order to draw up a series of
recommendations to be implemented over the next 30 months.

Special attention was given to the clarification of some of the

many RWMP objectives since it was observed that not all of them
were clearly defined or measurable. A first clarification was made
during the interim evaluation, whereas in the second half of the
implementation of the RWMP, the refinement of objectives for
the next planning period will be addressed directly. The main
challenge was found to propose and use so-called “SMART”
objectives, that is to say specific, measurable, achievable and
acceptable, realistic and relevant, as well as time-bound.

The next evaluation report will be produced by the end of 2023

and for each objective, indicators and associated, relevant data
will be clarified and shared directly with the various collaborating
actors to ensure their relevance and adequacy with the reality on
the ground.

Prevention measures

Implemented prevention
measures according to Article 9

Table 1: Specific waste prevention measures structured according to Art 9 WFD

Promote and support sustainable • support sustainable production and consumption

consumption models patterns (p.11)
• modernize the EPR operating framework (p.46)

Strategic objective 2: Transforming household

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 consumption practices and encouraging them to move
towards zero waste waste addresses households in
particular by pointing to three specific areas for
action: awareness of the impacts of consumption,
changing consumption practices and improving
selective sorting.

The aim is to support changes in the consumption

behaviour of citizens, including disadvantaged
households, by targeting:
• understanding the issues and the role that each
person can play in meeting their needs;
• learning how to do it yourself, self-production,
repair;
• second-hand purchases, collective purchases,
sharing and exchanging goods;
• the practice of buying in bulk, without
unnecessary packaging, without disposable bags.
(p.36)

Strategic Objective 4: Transforming business

consumption practices and encouraging them towards
zero waste aims to improve the circular management
of resources and non-household waste and to make
public authorities exemplary.

The aim is to change the demand for goods and

services and the management of
• companies and other professional activities in a
circular fashion:
• significant implementation of the waste
separation obligation for professional activities;
• Stimulation of innovative voluntary practice of
eco-management within professional activities,
in particular on the issue of purchasing of
products and services;
• guidance and support for the Public Authorities
present in Brussels to open the way to
exemplarity, in particular by creating, via public
markets, sufficient innovative demand that
consumes little new material and is capable of
accelerating the transformation of the offer on a
regional scale in terms of sorting and recovery of
material. (p.36)
Encourage the design, • modernising the eco-design of products to
manufacturing and use of promote sustainability, repairability and
products that are resource- recyclability of products, in addition to energy
efficient, durable (including in efficiency (p.10);
terms of life span and absence of • encourage products that are resource efficient,
planned obsolence), reparable, re- sustainable (including in terms of life span and
usable and upgradable. lack of planned obsolescence), repairable,
reusable and evolutionary in design; (p.11)
• In progress : Roadmap Circular Economy in
Renolution (buildings sustainable renovation
program) : encourage the transition of the

11
 construction sector towards circular resource and
waste management

Target products containing critical • Priorities for the Brussels-Capital Region to

raw materials to prevent that those reach a better circularity of organic resources
materials become waste. • The educational themes will be the
scarcity/preservation of resources/raw materials,
waste prevention, awareness of over-
consumption, waste reduction and sorting,
including composting (activities for pupils,
training for teachers, implementation of the
project in line with education and management)
(p.60).
Encourage the re-use of products • concrete measures to promote re-use and to
and the setting up of systems stimulate industrial symbiosis, i.e. the
promoting repair and re-use transformation of the by-products of one sector
activities, including in particular into raw materials for another sector (p.10);
for electrical and electronic • modernising the eco-design of products to
equipment, textiles and furniture, promote sustainability, repairability and
as well as packaging and recyclability of products, in addition to energy
construction materials and efficiency; (p.10);
products. • encourage products that are resource efficient,
sustainable (including in terms of life span and
lack of planned obsolescence), repairable,
reusable and evolutionary in design; (p.11)
• facilitate innovation in collection, sorting, repair,
reuse, reclassification and recycling (p.46)
• Operational objective 6.2: Develop repair, reuse
and preparation for reuse activities for equipment
serving household demand (p.73)
• Roadmap for Reuse - Priorities for the Brussels-
Capital Region up to 2025
• Operational objective 6.3. Develop repair, reuse
and preparation for reuse activities for equipment
serving the demand of professional activities
(p.74)
Encourage, as appropriate and • encourage the availability of spare parts,
without prejudice to intellectual operating instructions (p.11)
property rights , the availability of
spare parts, instruction manuals,
technical information, or other
instruments, equipment or
software enabling the repair and
re-use of products without
compromising their quality and
safety.
Reduce waste generation in • Strategic objective 5: Continue the transition of
processes related to industrial the construction sector towards circular
production, extraction of management of resources and construction waste
minerals, manufacturing, addresses the construction sector and targets
construction and demolition, design, renovation, construction, selective
taking into account best available demolition, reuse and material recycling
techniques. operations.

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 • The aim is to make the Brussels construction
sector an example of sustainable construction
and renovation from a circular perspective:
• Develop the eco-design of buildings and
materials to allow their adaptability, extend their
life span and promote their dismantlability and
recyclability at the end of their first life;
• to develop the practices of selective
deconstruction, reuse and recycling of materials
in Brussels. (p.37)
• experiment and then generalize the eco-design of
materials and buildings to increase their lifespan;
• Encourage the maintenance and adaptation of
existing buildings, through intelligent initial design
and renovation approaches that allow for sound
material management. Well-designed materials,
elements and components can last longer and be
dismantled and reused or recycled more easily
(building for deconstruction). Well-designed
buildings can be used for longer periods of time
because they have versatile volumes (building for
change);
• Experimenting and then generalising the reuse of
materials: better reuse of materials would make it
possible to reduce environmental impacts and create
economic activity and local jobs. Pioneering
activities exist in Brussels and could spread to the
whole sector (p.66).

• Operational objective 5.1: Develop eco-design and

eco-renovation of buildings and materials to enable
their adaptability, extend their life span and promote
their dismantlability and recyclability.

• Operational objective 5.2: Experiment with and

develop the practice of selective deconstruction
with a view to reusing materials in construction
(p.67).
Reduce the generation of food • move towards the generalized obligation to sort
waste in primary production, in food waste; (p.46)
processing and manufacturing, in • achieve an indicative EU-wide food waste
retail and other distribution of reduction target of 30% by 2025 and 50% by
food, in restaurants and food 2030, in line with the UN Sustainable
services as well as in households Development Goals; (p.11)
as a contribution to the United • the GoodFood Strategy - "towards a sustainable
Nations Sustainable Development food system in the Brussels-Capital Region"
Goal to reduce by 50 % per capita (p.33) intends to reduce food waste
global food waste at the retail and
consumer levels and to reduce
food losses along production and
supply chains by 2030.

13
Encourage food donation and • the GoodFood Strategy - "towards a sustainable food
other redistribution for human system in the Brussels-Capital Region" encourages
consumption, prioritising human food donation (p.33)
use over animal feed and the
reprocessing into non-food
products.
Promote the reduction of the • develop a strategy on plastics in the circular
content of hazardous substances economy, addressing issues such as recyclability,
in materials and products, without biodegradability, the presence of hazardous
prejudice to harmonised legal substances in certain plastics and marine litter, the
requirements concerning those drastic reduction of which is the subject of the UN
materials and products laid down Sustainable Development Goals; (p.10)
at Union level, and ensure that • promote the reduction of hazardous substances in
any supplier of an article as materials and products (p.11);
defined in point 33 of Article 3 of
Regulation (EC) No. 1907/2006 • Operational objective 5.4: Provide adequate
of the European Parliament and of collection possibilities for hazardous waste and
the Council provides the ensure a management plan for asbestos from the
information pursuant to article Brussels building stock.
33(1) of that regulation to the
European Chemicals Agency as
from 5 January 2021.
Reduce the generation of waste, in
particular waste that is not
suitable for preparing for re-use or
recycling.
Identify products that are the main • develop a strategy on plastics in the circular
sources of littering, notably in economy, addressing issues such as recyclability,
natural and marine environments, biodegradability, the presence of hazardous
and take appropriate measures to substances in certain plastics and marine litter, the
prevent and reduce litter from drastic reduction of which is the subject of the UN
such products, where Member Sustainable Development Goals; (p.10)
States decide to implement this
obligation through market
restrictions, they shall ensure that
such restrictions are proportionate
and non-discriminatory.
Aim to halt the generation of • develop a strategy on plastics in the circular
marine litter as a contribution economy, addressing issues such as recyclability,
towards the United Nations biodegradability, the presence of hazardous
Sustainable Development Goal to substances in certain plastics and marine litter, the
prevent and significantly reduce drastic reduction of which is the subject of the UN
marine pollution of all kinds. Sustainable Development Goals; (p.10)

Develop and support information • Operational objective 2.2: To support individual

campaigns to raise awareness and collective initiatives by citizens aimed at
about waste prevention and putting into practice changes in consumption
littering. towards greater sustainability
• a positive and supportive communication
environment (communication campaign, test
households, etc.); (p.54)

• Operational objective 3.2: To support the

integration of environmental education and

14
 sustainable waste management into school
lessons, activities and projects.
• The Brussels Region will continue to provide
educational support to compulsory French- and
Dutch-speaking schools, in consultation with the
communities. This support will take the form of
pedagogical support (animation, call for projects,
campaigns, etc.), a training component for
teachers and the provision of teaching materials.
Particular attention will be paid to the vocational,
technical and artistic sections of secondary
schools. (p.59)

• Neighbourhood campaigns will be organised with

a large number of companies checked in the same
neighbourhood. Businesses will be pre-selected
on the basis of their environmental permit, the
absence of a waste collection contract with the
Brussels Cleanliness Agency or a private
collector, or the absence of an already active
inspection file. The focus is on retail sales in these
neighbourhood campaigns.(p.63)

Additional implemented
prevention measures, not
covered by Article 9

FOOD WASTE PREVENTION

Food waste generation

• If we take into account the emissions generated along the cycle (production, processing,
distribution, etc.), food waste represents 24% to 37%4 of the global food GHG footprint
(FAO, n.d.). Halving food waste would reduce of food waste would reduce global emissions
by about 5%.
• In 2018, an estimated 131,469 tons5 of biofuel waste was produced in the Brussels Capital
Region. By way of comparison with the figures available and put forward at the start of SGF1
in 2016 (134,000 tonnes6 ), the situation had not clearly changed.
• Households throw away 11% of their food. Food services are responsible for 5% of the waste
and retail outlets for 5% and retail outlets 2%7. According to the latest Good Food survey8 ,
reducing food waste is again cited as the most important behavior people consider to limit

4
Politiques alimentaires et climat : une revue de littérature - I4CE - 2019

5
LoUIsE– Potentiel des biodéchets collectables en Région de Bruxelles-Capitale – 2018 – Etude commanditée par Bruxelles Environnement

6
In Stratégie Good Food « Vers un système alimentaire durable en Région de Bruxelles-Capitale » - 2016, p.78, Chiffres obtenus en additionnant les déchets organiques des
ménages (analyses poubelles ABP), les collectes sélective de biométhanisation (collecté par l’ABP), et les résultats de l’étude évaluation des quantités de déchets alimentaires en
RBC » RDC-Environnement pour l’Horeca, les cantines, les grossistes, les petits commerces, et des marchés datant de 2006.

7
PNUE, Indice du gaspillage alimentaire, 2021, in https://www.unep.org/fr/resources/rapport/rapport-2021-du-pnue-sur-lindice-du-gaspillage-alimentaire

8
Sondage Good Food, AQRATE, 2020

15
 their environmental impact (61%). However, a major obstacle lies in the difference between
the perception of waste and the actual behaviour of households.

Measures to prevent food waste

Legislative measure:

The Brussels Ministry of Environment, Agriculture and Quality of Life and the Brussels Regional
Public Service’s Agriculture Unit developed the "Good Food Strategy - Towards a sustainable food
system in the Brussels-Capital Region" for the period 2016-2020. The Good Food Strategy made the
fight against food waste one of its priority objectives. The objectives and measures were jointly
developed in Brussels in a participatory process and include more than 100 measures from producer to
consumer.9

Initiatives:

GoodFood.brussels is an initiative of the Brussels Ministry of Environment. The website provides

information and actions on how to grow food in the city, eat better and avoid food waste. Moreover
GoodFood.brussels presents ideas for seasonal cooking (Recette 4 Saisons) and lists sales points,
restaurants and canteens that are Good Food certified and meet defined criteria.

REUSE OF PRODUCTS

Data

With regard to the Commission Implementing Decision (https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-

content/EN/TXT/?uri=uriserv%3AOJ.L_.2021.010.01.0001.01.ENG&toc=OJ%3AL%3A2021%3A01
0%3ATOC), this section will be updated by the EEA accordingly.

Measures to support reuse

In 2022, the Brussels Ministry of Environment published a Reuse Roadmap with the priorities for
2025 for the Brussels-Capital Region. The roadmap is intended to be a strategic document for the
Region with, for the first time, a specific focus on the preparation for reuse and reuse sectors. It aims
for a coordinated implementation of the recommendations concerning reuse as identified in the
Resource and Waste Management Plan (RWMP), the Regional Circular Economy Program (RCEP)
and the Regional Policy Declaration (RPD). It was also coordinated with the Regional Economic
Transition Strategy (Shifting Economy) in preparation.

The purpose of the roadmap is to identify the priority measures to be developed to overcome the
challenges and meet the environmental, social, economic and regulatory ambitions related to the
management of waste-resources. It brings together the measures to be taken by 2025, with the
participation and support of the various stakeholders. Its implementation will be adapted periodically,
based on the lessons learned on the field. The document also aims to provide the basis of the next
regional multi-actor reuse strategy for 2030. It contains a series of measures currently being
implemented and those planned for 2025, which together form the action plan of the reuse roadmap.
The roadmap was submitted for consultation and benefited from the expertise of many players thanks
to the organization of a Working Group on Reuse, organized within the framework of the RWMP, in
which 20 representatives of the preparation for reuse and reuse participated.

• Brussels Environment will examine the principles for positive discrimination towards circular
players for access to the waste-resource deposit.
9
https://document.environnement.brussels/opac_css/elecfile/BRO_GoodFood_Strategy_ENGL.pdf

16
 • The Region will extend the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) mechanism to new
flows:
o mattresses and furniture
o textiles
• The Region will continue its actions for the establishment of partnerships with the social
economy for access to certain sources of reusable equipment: launch of Working Group for
bikes.
• The Region will analyze the necessary conditions to facilitate the donation of equipment from
public administrations.
• The Region will continue to stimulate municipalities to create local re-use centers via the
Zero Waste thematic section of the ‘Climate’ call for projects aimed at municipalities and
Public Social Services Centres (CPAS).
• The Region will work to put in place a favorable legal and tax framework within the limits of
its powers.
• The subsidy system for social economy enterprises active in the reuse and recycling sectors
will be modernized and a new decree on this matter will be put in place.
• The Region, Brussels Training and Resources will continue to develop the profession of
‘Valorizer’. The Region will analyze the possibility of including a value-added module in all
technical and professional training.
• The Region will facilitate access to information on the repair and second-hand supply.
• The Region will continue to stimulate economic players for repair and second-hand services
via the ‘beCircular’ call for projects.
• The Agency Bruxelles Propreté (Brussels Agency for Waste Collection & Cleanliness) and
Brussels Environment will work together to multiply collections for reuse in the Region.
• Establishment of an online and physical material lending service.
• The Region will examine the potential for revalorizing company equipment.
• Brussels Environment will carry out research/action on the lifetime extension potential of the
different models of tool lending services.

Best practice examples

Food waste prevention: 'Rest-o-Pack' initiative

In the Brussels-Capital Region, the 'Rest-o-Pack' initiative allows customers in restaurants to take
their leftovers home. For those who are interested, the region provides restaurants with a starter pack
containing 100 cardboard boxes, awareness-raising material and window sticker to signal to
customers that they are participating in the initiative.10

Reuse of products: Repair Together

Belgium was one of the first countries to adopt the Repair Café concept from the Netherlands. After
the first Belgian Repair Café opened in Ixelles in 2012, Repair Together was founded in 2013 and
now represents the network of Repair Cafés in Brussels and Wallonia. Repair Together is part of a
broader movement that aims to transition to a circular economy, fight planned obsolescence and
support the right to repair. Workshops are held at regular intervals in Repair Cafés where people can
learn how to repair broken items instead of throwing them away. Repair Cafés are a place where
neighbours can meet and share their knowledge and experiences. All kinds of items can be repaired in
Repair Cafés, from small broken electrical appliances to trousers with holes.11

10
https://environnement.brussels/forms/inscription-rest-o-pack
11
Our association - Repair Together

17
Links to circular economy

Waste prevention is an integral part of the comprehensive transformation towards a circular economy.
It reduces the input of natural resources into the economy as well as the necessary efforts to collect
and recycle waste.

Approaches for improving circularity are often highly interlinked with successful waste prevention.
The following table shows which circular strategies are explicitly integrated into the waste prevention
programme of Brussels.

Topic Addressed in the Comments

programme
Eco-design Yes e.g. Extended producer
responsibility
Repair, refurbishment and Yes e.g. modernising the eco-design
remanufacture of products to promote
sustainability, repairability and
recyclability of products, in
addition to energy efficiency;
(p.10)
Recycling Yes e.g. develop the practices of
selective deconstruction, reuse
and recycling of materials in
Brussels. (p.37)
Economic incentives and finance Yes e.g. Incentive pricing on the part of
private collectors
Circular business models Yes e.g. Ecodynamic Company Label
Eco-innovation Yes e.g. Facilitating innovation in
collection, sorting, repair, re-use, re-
qualification and recycling
Governance, skills and knowledge Yes e.g. Developing effective
governance

18
Country profile: Belgium - FLANDERS
General information:

Name
10. of the country/ region Flanders

Coverage
11. of the waste prevention Regional
programme (national/ regional)

Type
12. of programme (stand alone or 'Uitvoeringsplan huishoudelijk afval en gelijkaardig
integrated into waste management bedrijsfafval' is an integrated plan, while e.g., circular
plan) construction policy is a standalone programme.
Title
13. of programme and link to The following programmes make up the waste
programme prevention programme (WPP) of Flanders:
- Uitvoeringsplan huishoudelijk afval en
gelijkaardig bedrijfsafval (Implementation plan
for household waste and similar industrial
waste)
https://ovam.vlaanderen.be/uitvoeringsplan-
huishoudelijk-gelijkaardig-bedrijfsafval
- A new plan is begin finalized 'Lokaal
Materialenplan' for the period 2023-2030. This
new plan is in the final stage in the procedure. A
concept of the plan has been published for public
consultation: Ontwerp Lokaal Materialenplan
2023 - 2030 (vlaanderen.be)
- Flanders: Action Plan Circular Food Loss and
Biomass (Residual) Flows 2021-2025,
hereinafter referred to as “Action Plan Food
Loss and Biomass”
(Actieplan Voedselverlies en
biomassa(rest)stromen circulair 2021-2025):
https://emis.vito.be/sites/emis/files/articles/91/20
21/VR%2020210423%20Actieplan%20voedselv
erlies%20en%20biomassa%202021-2025.pdf
- Implementation Plan Plastics 2020-2025
(Uitvoeringsplan kunststoffen 2020-2025):
https://www.vlaanderen.be/publicaties/uitvoerin
gsplan-kunststoffen-2020-2025
- Towards Circular Construction Policy
Program 2022-2030
(Op weg naar Circulair Bouwen.
Beleidsprogramma 2022-2030):
https://ovam.vlaanderen.be/beleidskeuzes

Duration
14. of programme Implementation plan for household waste and similar
industrial waste: 2016-2022. This will soon be replaced
by Lokaal Materialenplan 2023-2030

19
 Action Plan Food Loss and Biomass: 2021-2025

Implementation Plan Plastics: 2020-2025

Towards Circular Construction Policy Program: 2022-

2030

Language
15. A summary of the Implementation plan for household
waste and similar industrial waste 2016-2022 is available
in English: Implementation Plan for Household Waste
and Comparable Industrial Waste (vlaanderen.be)

The Implementation Plan Plastics 2020-2025 is also

available in English

Some chapters of The Action Plan Food Loss and

Biomass: 2021-2025 have been translated in English:
Action Plan for Circular food loss and biomass (residual)
flows 2021-2025 (vlaanderen.be)

Contact
16. person in the [email protected]
country/region [email protected]
Public Waste Agency of Flanders (OVAM)

Development
17. process of the The Implementation plan for household waste and
programme/ revision similar industrial waste (Uitvoeringsplan huishoudelijk
afval en gelijkaardig bedrijfsafval) was published in
September 2016 and modified in May 2019.
Foreseen
18. budget for For the most part, no specific budget for the
implementation of the project implementation of the individual programs is included.

For the Implementation Plan Plastics, budget is discussed

but a specific figure covering all actions is not included.
Nonetheless, it states that an annual budget of EUR
150,000 will be reserved for outsourcing studies for
which OVAM is designated as the initiator, as part of the
programme Applied Scientific Research into the
Environment.

Funding via Life Integrated Project Cmartlife: Closing

loops for less plastic waste (vlaanderen.be).
OVAM is the coordinator of the Life Integrated Project
Cmartlife. This LIFE-IP Cmartlife project implements
Flemish Waste Management policy, with a specific focus
on accelerating and reinforcing the Plastics Action Plan.
It holds a total eligible budget of 18,040,744 €, with
an EU Contribution of 10,824,447 €.

20
WASTE PREVENTION PROGRAMME

Objectives and priorities

5. Waste prevention Within the Implementation Plan for Household Waste and Similar
objectives of the Industrial Waste, the Flanders Region focuses more on waste
Programme prevention, reuse and material cycles. Therefore, the main objective
- quantitative is to reduce incineration and landfilling of household and industrial
objectives (waste waste as much as possible. The prevention and reuse of waste are
reduction) priority fields in the region’s waste management.
- qualitative
objectives The objectives of the Action Plan Food Loss and Biomass are:
(reduction of - To harmonize the various policy objectives and initiatives
hazardous that have an impact on the use of and biomass (residual)
substances/ flows;
environmental - To clarify the coordinated vision and policy on food loss
impacts) and biomass (residual) flows; clarify the possible and
desired destinations of food loss and biomass (residual)
flows, as well as the material hierarchy and the cascade
principle that guide those choices;
- To provide an integrated working framework and action
programs for all parties involved to jointly implement the
sustainable management of food loss and biomass (residual)
flows in Flanders.

The purpose of the Implementation Plan Plastics 2020-2025 is to

reduce the amount of plastic waste and stimulate the reuse of
plastics. The plan applies to all types of plastics and has five
objectives, each of which is to be achieved via 37, specific actions.
These range from prevention measures and stimulating reuse, to
research and investment in a sustainable recycling market, to the
deployment of recyclate as a fully-fledged raw material, including a
focus on knowledge and data gathering and the exemplary role of
governements through circular procurement policies.

The objectives of the Towards Circular Construction Policy

Program are to:
- transition the construction sector towards the circular
economy
- by 2050, only build with materials with the smallest
possible environmental impact, and recover materials as
much as possible from the existing built patrimony.
- By 2050, for new or renovated buildings to be change-
oriented in function of changing needs and to have a
minimal environmental impact. To have a complete digital
overview of the material stock in the built heritage.

6. Sectors covered - Agriculture

- construction and infrastructure
- manufacturing
- sale, retail, transport

21
 - households
- private service activities, hospitality
- public services
- food value chain
7. Priority waste - Food/organic;
types - construction and demolition waste;
- hazardous waste;
- household/municipal waste;
- paper;
- packaging;
- plastic;
- waste electrical and electronic equipment
(WEEE)/batteries;
- manufacturing waste (similar to household waste);
- other (e.g. textiles, plastics other than packaging, bulky
waste).
8. Target groups Value chain actors including producers, NGOs, authorities, industry
associations, municipalities, households and other stakeholders.

Targets, indicators and monitoring

5. Indicators The Implementation Plan for Household Waste and Similar Industrial
proposed Waste proposes several indicators:
• the Flemish cleanliness index;
• the amount and costs of littering and illegal dumping in Flanders;
• the fraction count of litter, the sorting analysis of illegal dumping;
• the share of waste sorted incorrectly.
• visits to the campaign website.
• further decoupling of waste production and consumption levels,
keeping the total amount of household waste the same. (i.e.
decrease in kg/inw due to population growth), In addition to target
for commercial residual waste which is further stated also targets
around less household residual waste

The Action Plan Food Loss and Biomass includes the following indicators
(non-exhaustive):

- AP1.1: number of implemented cooperation projects per product

chain with a positive impact on pure prevention,
redistribution/reprocessing, valorisation
- AP1.2: number of participating companies and % food loss
reduction per sector-specific program
- AP1.3: Number of promising interventions per sector (min. 3 in
planning period)
- AP 1.4: Amount of distributed and/or processed food surpluses
- AP 1.5: Number of impactful projects
- AP 1.6: Number of local authorities that set up actions or
develop/implement food strategy.
- AP 1.7: % of the population doing home composting/cycling of
food waste and garden waste

22
 - AP 1.8: % increase in participation in selective collection and
amount of selective collection
- AP 1.9: Realization of actions through implementation of projects
- AP 1.10: Amount of compost and digestate sold in the different
market segments
- Number of research or pilot projects on specific residual flows from
open space that were started during the planning period.

Implementation Plan Plastics: no specific indicators proposed

6. Quantitative Implementation Plan for Household Waste and Similar Industrial Waste:
targets • Reduce residual waste by 15% by 2022, in comparison with 2013
(p. 28). As mentioned in the plan, this objective should be achieved
through the prevention of waste and through better sorting at
source.
• In 2022 the maximum industrial waste generated should not exceed
707 000 tonnes (p. 29).
• In the household and similar industrial waste plan 2016-2022:
absolute stabilization of the household waste + relative decrease of
household waste compared to consumption.
• In the new 'Lokaal Materialenplan' 2023-2030: absolute
stabilization of both household waste and similar industrial waste
(this means also reduction per capita and reduction/euro gdp as
both Flemsih population and economy are expected to grow in
coming years)
• Reach the reuse target of 7 kg per inhabitant by 2022. By 2022,
reuse centres should have realised the effective reuse target of 7 kg
of waste per inhabitant with a reuse percentage (the ratio between
sold and collected) of at least 50% (p. 54).
• Significantly reduce the amount of littering (p. 106). The
cleanliness index for the three worst target locations (i.e. motorway
car parks, public transport car parks and waste collection points)
has to increase by at least 10%, in comparison to 2014. The total
amount of litter on the ground has to decrease by 20% (on a weight
basis), in comparison to 2013. This means that the total amount of
waste on the ground may not exceed 14 000 tonnes by 2022 (p.
106).

The Action Plan Food Loss and Biomass includes the following sections,
under each of which objectives are set:
- Food loss and food waste from producer to consumer
o By 2023:
▪ Every food retailer (specialty and non-specialty
retail), every food wholesaler and every food
distribution center contributes to food donations
and/or some other form of redistribution of food
products for human consumption
▪ Companies selectively collect food waste.
o By 2025:
▪ The entire chain strives to prevent 30% of food
losses, reprocessing them as food or to be valorised
at a higher level 21 compared to 2015.

23
 ▪ Residual waste from companies (hospitality,
catering, retail) decreases by 20% compared to
2019
▪ Optimal valorisation of food waste; where this is
not already happening, and it is possible and legal
permitted, the aim is to valorise it higher in the
cascade (higher cascade index compared to 2015).
o By 2030:
▪ With actions to reduce food waste in primary
production, the horticultural cooperatives, the food
industry, in the retail and distribution of food, in
restaurants, catering and households, Flanders
contributes to the UN's Sustainable Development
Goals (SDG 12.3). This SDG 12.3 aims to halve
food waste per capita worldwide by 2030, at retail
and consumer levels; SDG 12.3 also aims to reduce
food losses throughout our food production and
supply chain.
▪ Contribution to the following objective of the
European Waste Framework Directive: At least
60% of the urban waste is reused or recycled.
- Biomass (residual) streams from greenery, nature, forestry and
landscape management
o By 2025:
▪ Optimum mobilization and high-quality
valorisation of residual flows from greenery,
nature, forestry and landscape management, with
respect for the main functions of each area and on
the condition that the biodiversity objectives and
the maintenance of the organic matter
content/carbon stock of the soil are guaranteed.
▪ In the period 2020-2025, at least eight research or
pilot projects on specific residual flows from the
open space started up. In addition, one
experimental room was started up that can produce
fiber samples for testing at potential customers.
▪ In 2025, at least one installation will be active in
Flanders that can process specific management
residues into high-quality raw materials.
▪ In 2025, at least 30,000 tons of natural clippings
(fresh material, weighed wet) will be treated for use
in material applications (in addition to
composting).
▪ By 2022 at the latest, a digital platform will be
active that will make the supply of Flemish
biomass residual flows from greenery, nature,
forestry and landscape management visible.
- Wood (residual) flows from industry and households
o By 2025:
▪ Flemish post-consumer wood waste is no
longer sold for energy applications without
prior (source) sorting.
▪ The chipboards produced in Flanders consist of
at least 85% recycled material post-consumer

24
 wood waste; an increase of 15% compared to
2020.
o By 2030:
▪ Contribution to European target: 50% of the
recyclable fraction of household and industrial
waste is additionally recycled.

Implementation Plan Plastics

- Contribution to the EU target to reduce consumption of light

plastic carrier bags in Belgium to a maximum of 90 bags per
inhabitant in 2019 to 40 in 2025.
- The Implementation Plan Plastics provides the framework and
overview of actions that contribute to the sustainable
management of the plastics cycle. It is also intended to
contribute to the established quantitative targets in other policy
plans.

Towards Circular Construction Policy Program

- Contribution to the new Waste Framework Directive target

whereby at least 70% of all material fractions during
construction and demolition works must be recycled or reused
- By 2030:
o To reuse or recycle 95% of stony and 70% of non-stony
materials from construction works and reuse at least
half of this in a high-quality manner.
o 25% of construction works (new or renovated) are
designed or re(built) according to the principles of
circular construction

7. Monitoring For the Action Plan Food Loss and Biomass, each action program identifies
of specific leader organizations and participating partners. It is stated that these
programme organizations are responsible for coordinating the implementation,
monitoring of progress and reporting.

For the Implementation Plan Plastics 2020-2025, a new consultation

platform with all leading partners was formed to monitor the actions during
the planning period. The OVAM provides the secretariat (agenda and
reporting) and chair the consultation platform.

The implementation plan also has a consultation platform with 3 working

groups. There is also a central working group for construction that monitors
both the policy plan and the work agendaA mid-term evaluation is also
foreseen in the construction policy plan.
8. Evaluation For the Implementation Plan for Household Waste and Similar Industrial
of the Waste, an evaluation of the previous plan ‘Environmentally responsible
programme management of household waste for 2008-2015’ was carried out in 2014 (p.
6).
A mid term evaluation of the implementation plan was carried out in 2020
which is published on our website. A final evaluation will be performed in

25
 2023. Uitvoeringsplan huishoudelijk en gelijkaardig bedrijfsafval
(vlaanderen.be)
The conclusions of the previous plan include the following:
• Objectives must be clearly formulated and communicated to
initiate action in the field.
• Objectives at local level are important for making municipalities
accountable.
• Actions may be broadly formulated to allow adjustments on the
basis of current events or local situations during the planning
period.
• Actions that are not ambitious and are vaguely formulated must be
avoided.
• To follow the plan, it is necessary to work with a limited set of
clearly defined indicators.
• Only indicators for which data are available should be included in
the indicator data set.
• Coordination with other policy plans in terms of objectives, actions
and indicators is crucial.

OVAM has started discussions with the parties involved and has carried out
an investigation into which household and industrial waste streams are
important to work on in the future (p. 6).
For the Action Plan Food Loss and Biomass, it is stated that halfway
through the program period, an interim progress and evaluation will be
carried out by OVAM (Public Waste Agency of Flanders). If necessary, the
actions are adjusted or new actions are introduced. At the end of the plan
period, after the realization of the actions and in function of the final
evaluation of this plan, a SWOT analysis will test to what extent bottlenecks
have been resolved. It will also show which new actions must be taken in
order to achieve the objectives towards 2030

For the Action Plan Food Loss and Biomass, it is stated that halfway
through the program period, an interim progress and evaluation will be
carried out by OVAM (Public Waste Agency of Flanders). If necessary, the
actions are adjusted or new actions are introduced. At the end of the plan
period, after the realization of the actions and in function of the final
evaluation of this plan, a SWOT analysis will test to what extent bottlenecks
have been resolved. It will also show which new actions must be taken in
order to achieve the objectives towards 2030

Prevention measures

Implemented prevention The Public Waste Agency of Flanders, OVAM, is responsible for
measures according to Article 9 monitoring and evaluating the implementation process of the waste
prevention measures in Flanders: https://www.ovam.be/De-
OVAM-streeft-samen-met-u-naar-een-duurzaam-afval-en-
materialenbeheer-en-een-propere-bodem-in-Vlaanderen.

The strategies included in this WPP country profile contains

numerous measures, a selection of which are included in Table 1 to
illustrate the types of actions being taken. As such Table 1 is not
exhaustive of the measures taken in the WPPs of Flaners.

26
Table 1: Specific waste prevention measures structured according to Art 9 WFD

Promote and support • Together with other stakeholders, OVAM will continue its efforts
sustainable consumption to stimulate initiatives on the sharing economy (Implementation
models Plan for Household Waste and Similar Industrial Waste).
• Evaluation of the ban on lightweight carrier plastic bags and
explore whether more ecological alternatives to lightweight carrier
plastic bags can be found (Implementation Plan Plastics)
• Creating space for experimentation and innovation in the
construction and demolition sector (Towards Circular Construction
Policy Program)

Encourage the design, • OVAM reviews the financing of the reuse sector and searches for
manufacturing and use of alternatives to include reuse in the product chain (Implementation
products that are Plan for Household Waste and Similar Industrial Waste).
resource-efficient, durable • Together with other stakeholders, OVAM will investigate the
(including in terms of life opportunities and obstacles of new concepts for reusable baby
span and absence of nappies and for closing the material chain regarding disposable
planned obsolence), nappies (Implementation Plan for Household Waste and Similar
reparable, re-usable and Industrial Waste).
upgradable. • Promote reuse and distribution methods that lead to less
consumption of packaging (including e-commerce)
(Implementation Plan Plastics).
• support the roll-out of the 'food packaging of the future' roadmap,
which includes innovative projects and R&D for circular food
packaging, concerning both household and industrial packaging.
Links to the Action Plan Food Loss and Biomass (Implementation
Plan Plastics)
• Focus on ecodesign and development of circular indicators for
products – building on and coordinating existing sub-indicators
(e.g. recyclability benefit, material circularity, product
environmental footprint) to ‘circularity test’ against products before
they are placed on market (Implementation Plan Plastics).
• continue to weigh in on the international ecodesign policy for EEE,
automotive products and packaging (Implementation Plan Plastics).
• clarify the role of new materials in a circular economy. Bio-based
and/or biodegradable plastics are considered a research priority
(Implementation Plan Plastics).
• The Flemish innovation policy supports new developments towards
plastics with a low environmental impact through higher recycling,
innovative design, improved processes, different raw materials
(Implementation Plan Plastics).
• Identify barriers in current product standards and quality standards
to use plastic recyclate as a raw material for end products
(Implementation Plan Plastics).

Target products • Monitoring building materials from outside the chain for use as
containing critical raw building materials including a quality assurance system to monitor
materials to prevent that the environmental and hygienic quality of the materials (Towards
those materials become Circular Construction Policy Program)
waste.

27
Encourage the re-use of • To strengthen existing sale channels, it is necessary to work
products and the setting alongside other reuse and recovery initiatives (Implementation Plan
up of systems promoting for Household Waste and Similar Industrial Waste).
repair and re-use • During the planning period, more emphasis will be placed on reuse
activities, including in initiatives to gain a higher acceptance of reuse (Implementation
particular for electrical Plan for Household Waste and Similar Industrial Waste):
and electronic equipment, - communication with companies and organisations to raise
textiles and furniture, as awareness of the benefits of reuse and services provided by
well as packaging and reuse initiatives;
construction materials and - activities to collect reusable goods.
products. • Developing a framework for reuse of building materials (Towards
Circular Construction Policy Program)
• Improved use of soil materials as a construction material given the
significant amount of excavated soil during excavation work
(Towards Circular Construction Policy Program)

Encourage, as appropriate • The feasibility of establishing a permanent digital data exchange

and without prejudice to via a common platform will be investigated during the planning
intellectual property rights period. That way, it is possible to coordinate policy with collection
, the availability of spare results at a faster rate (Implementation Plan for Household Waste
parts, instruction manuals, and Similar Industrial Waste).
technical information, or • Introduce new and innovative solutions for collecting waste in
other instruments, growing neighbourhoods (Implementation Plan for Household
equipment or software Waste and Similar Industrial Waste).
enabling the repair and re- • Provide tools and support to organisers to make events more
use of products without sustainable (e.g. through websites — www.groenevent.be)
compromising their (Implementation Plan for Household Waste and Similar Industrial
quality and safety. Waste).
• Providing a digital link between demand and supply for circular
construction solutions (Towards Circular Construction Policy
Program)
• Clarifying concepts and drawing guidelines for a circular
construction market (Towards Circular Construction Policy
Program)

Reduce waste generation • Regarding food loss reduction (Implementation Plan for Household
in processes related to Waste and Similar Industrial Waste):
industrial production, - Establish a consultation platform at a local level, where various
extraction of minerals, stakeholders can get to know each other and work together.
manufacturing, - Organise round-table discussions at Flemish and local levels to
construction and find good practice examples.
demolition, taking into - Create a practical guide for local authorities about good
account best available practices and existing measures. The above-mentioned
techniques. activities for action number 30 are carried out in line with the
Ketenroadmap Voedselverlies 2015-2020.
• During the planning period, specific attention will be paid to
municipalities and neighbourhoods where the amounts of
separately collected vegetable, fruit and garden waste (GFT) are
below expectations. Local authorities will look into the causes and
will set up additional initiatives for separate collection of this type
of waste (Implementation Plan for Household Waste and Similar
Industrial Waste).
• Specific attention is paid to the following issues (Implementation
Plan for Household Waste and Similar Industrial Waste):

28
 - Raising consumer awareness of the importance of collecting
organic waste separately, especially in those locations where
the results are lower than expected;
- An evaluation of waste collection efficiency (e.g. costs);
- The amount of green waste and domestic residual waste
collected;
• An evaluation of the difference in pricing of separate waste
collection and residual waste collection (Implementation Plan for
Household Waste and Similar Industrial Waste)
• To further improve the collection of industrial residual waste,
OVAM investigates the feasibility of establishing a quality
assurance system for waste collectors (collecting similar industrial
waste) (Implementation Plan for Household Waste and Similar
Industrial Waste).
• Approach the greenery, nature, forestry and landscape management
chain at regional level, focusing on collecting specific material or
product streams with higher added value and other actions (Action
Plan Food Loss and Biomass, AP2.1)
• Promoting the visibility of the supply of biomass waste streams and
valorization of high-quality wood and other biomass products
(Action Plan Food Loss and Biomass, AP2.3)
• Manage sorted construction and demolition material - working on a
substantiated solution by developing a specific framework at sites
where source separation is difficult for the separate collection of
fractions of construction and demolition material at the source,
which takes into account the required quality assurance of the post-
sorting (Towards Circular Construction Policy Program).
• Develop an agreement framework for value chain cooperation and
defining roles and responsibilities in extended responsibility
(Towards Circular Construction Policy Program)
• Analyze the costs and benefits throughout the entire value chain for
construction and demolition to assess profitability models in the
circular construction economy (Towards Circular Construction
Policy Program)

Reduce the generation of • Stimulating cooperation within various food product chains,
food waste in primary including fruits and vegetables, bread, dairy, potatoes, meat,
production, in processing fisheries (Action Plan Food Loss and Biomass, AP1.1)
and manufacturing, in • Establish industry specific programs to reduce food loss in
retail and other horticulture (Action Plan Food Loss and Biomass, AP1.2)
distribution of food, in • Minimizing and reducing food loss in retail, industrial
restaurants and food kitchens and restaurants (Action Plan Food Loss and Biomass,
services as well as in AP1.3)
households as a • Setting up interventions from the food industry, retail,
contribution to the United hospitality, catering and local authorities to the consumer
Nations Sustainable (Action Plan Food Loss and Biomass)
Development Goal to • Creating a food waste incubator to provide guidance and
reduce by 50 % per capita support for innovative start-ups on food waste (Action Plan
global food waste at the Food Loss and Biomass, AP1.4)
retail and consumer levels • Working with local authorities to set up actions; facilitate
and to reduce food losses exchanges to establish, follow up and evaluate actions;
along production and integrate social and circular businesses in local authorities to
supply chains by 2030. promote food loss strategies (Action Plan Food Loss and
Biomass, AP1.6)
• Stimulating home cycles regarding reducing food loss and

29
 garden waste, composting, reducing organic or biological
waste in residual waste bins and climate adaptation in cities
(Action Plan Food Loss and Biomass, AP1.7)
• Focus on correct collection and sorting rules, and adjust the
collection frequency (Action Plan Food Loss and Biomass,
AP1.8)
• Increasing the circularity and sustainability of the recycling
market (Action Plan Food Loss and Biomass, AP1.9)
• Investigate the feasibility to recycle and compost in
horticulture (Action Plan Food Loss and Biomass, AP1.9)

Encourage food donation • Strengthening networks of regional distribution platforms (Action

and other redistribution Plan Food Loss and Biomass, AP1.4)
for human consumption, • Promoting the processing of food surpluses by setting up food hubs
prioritising human use (Action Plan Food Loss and Biomass, AP1.4)
over animal feed and the • Using digital platforms to coordinate donations and redistribution
reprocessing into non- (Action Plan Food Loss and Biomass, AP1.4)
food products. • Examining the policy framework for giving food (Action Plan Food
Loss and Biomass, AP1.6)
Promote the reduction of - Update the list of small hazardous waste (in Dutch: klein
the content of hazardous gevaarlijk afval) (Implementation Plan for Household Waste and
substances in materials Similar Industrial Waste).
and products, without - Support phasing out and/or banning microplastics that are
prejudice to harmonised intentionally used in various products (Implementation Plan
legal requirements Plastics).
concerning those - Remove ambiguities and obstacles in REACH, resource
materials and products declarations and product legislation regarding the use of recycled
laid down at Union level, plastics, mainly for plastics from WEEE and the automotive and
and ensure that any construction sectors (Implementation Plan Plastics)
supplier of an article as
defined in point 33 of
Article 3 of Regulation
(EC) No. 1907/2006 of
the European Parliament
and of the Council
provides the information
pursuant to article 33(1)
of that regulation to the
European Chemicals
Agency as from 5 January
2021.
Reduce the generation of • Introduction of mandatory selective collection of hard plastics at
waste, in particular waste recycling centres to prevent the incineration of hard plastics and to
that is not suitable for stimulate recycling (Implementation Plan for Household Waste
preparing for re-use or and Similar Industrial Waste).
recycling. • Research on companies that dispose of large quantities of paper
and cardboard waste as residual waste (Implementation Plan for
Household Waste and Similar Industrial Waste).
• Ensure that the separate sorting of worn clothing, shoes, towels,
sheets, etc., is carried out in a clear, correct and transparent way
(Implementation Plan for Household Waste and Similar Industrial
Waste).

30
Identify products that are - Prepare a joint programme for coastal municipalities regarding
the main sources of waste management and littering. The main focus will be on the
littering, notably in following actions: innovative waste collection systems, disposal
natural and marine of similar industrial waste, and tackling littering (Implementation
environments, and take Plan for Household Waste and Similar Industrial Waste).
appropriate measures to - The following measures are related to illegal littering
prevent and reduce litter (Implementation Plan for Household Waste and Similar Industrial
from such products, Waste):
where Member States o The first evaluation of the litter policy will be carried out
decide to implement this in 2018 on the basis of the implementation of the
obligation through market intermediate objective for 2018. If a positive trend in the
restrictions, they shall reduction of litter is not established, further measures will
ensure that such be taken.
restrictions are o A study on the quantity, cost, composition, location and
proportionate and non- perpetrator of illegal dumping in Flanders will be carried
discriminatory. out. A policy will be developed on the basis of this study.
o Develop the plan ‘Operational Plan for Public
Cleanliness’ (‘Operationeel Plan Openbare Netheid’).
- encourage companies to commit to Operation Clean Sweep to
reduce the loss of pellets to the environment (Implementation Plan
Plastics).
- examine more mandatory government measures that could help
reduce pellet loss (e.g. in environmental permits) (Implementation
Plan Plastics)
- implementation of the Single-Use Plastics Directive
(Implementation Plan Plastics)
- implement the ban on fruit stickers through VLAREMA to
monitor the quality of (home) compost (Implementation Plan
Plastics)
- support the phase-out of and/or ban on microplastics used
intentionally in various products (Implementation Plan Plastics)

Aim to halt the generation - set up an international collaboration in one of the five countries
of marine litter as a responsible for more than half of the influx of plastic waste into
contribution towards the the oceans (links to the Flemish Integrated Marine Litter Action
United Nations Plan) (Implementation Plan Plastics)
Sustainable Development - Monitor the presence of plastic litter on the beach in the context of
Goal to prevent and the OSPAR Guidelines (Implementation Plan Plastics).
significantly reduce - set up an international collaboration in one of the five countries
marine pollution of all responsible for more than half of the influx of plastic waste into
kinds. the oceans (links to the Flemish Integrated Marine Litter Action
Plan) (Implementation Plan Plastics). This has been modified into:
active participation in the International Negotiating Committee on
Plastic Pollution
- Monitor the presence of plastic litter on the beach in the context of
the OSPAR Guidelines (Implementation Plan Plastics).
- conduct research into the distribution, effects and risks of
microplastics in surface waters in Flanders (Implementation Plan
Plastics)
- make sure that all ports and waterway managers in Flanders have
adequate operational resources at their disposal to clean up drift
debris in an effective and cost-efficient manner (Implementation
Plan Plastics)

31
Develop and support • Promote awareness-raising campaigns on sorting obligations for
information campaigns to companies through various communication platforms (TV,
raise awareness about advertisements, brochures) (Implementation Plan for Household
waste prevention and Waste and Similar Industrial Waste).
littering. • Update the study on the sustainable use and management of cups
and catering materials at events (in Dutch: Duurzaam gebruik en
beheer van bekers en cateringmateriaal op evenementen). Promote
awareness-raising activities and campaigns for citizens about
environmentally responsible consumption and waste prevention
(p. 64) (Implementation Plan for Household Waste and Similar
Industrial Waste)
• Raising consumer awareness on food waste (Action Plan Food
Loss and Biomass)
• Developing information exchange (e.g. passports) for developing
and disclosing material data at construction level (Towards
Circular Construction Policy Program)
• Trainings and education on circular construction (Towards
Circular Construction Policy Program)
• Developing legal framework for data collection and exchange,
ownership and use (Towards Circular Construction Policy
Program)
• Encourage companies to commit to Operation Clean Sweep in
order to prevent pellet loss into the environment (Implementation
Plan Plastics)
• There is a marine litter action plan (which will be evaluated this
year). And the actions of Mooimakers ((Home | Mooimakers.be)
focus on litter.

Additional implemented Implementation Plan for Household Waste and Similar Industrial
prevention measures, not Waste:
covered by Article 9 • Establish a ‘learning network’ that will help local
authorities to learn and adopt good practice examples from
municipalities.
• Benchmark local authorities. OVAM will investigate
whether a benchmark instrument for various clusters can
support local authorities to learn from each other.
• Provide guidance for local authorities that are scoring
poorly on how to achieve waste targets.
• Adapt the Vlarem (Flemish regulations concerning
environmental permits) regulations for recycling centres to
enable the establishment of small recycling centres. The
reason for creating small recycling centres is that 95.8% of
Flemish residents live approximately 5 km from an existing
recycling centre (p. 36). For the following waste streams,
separate waste collection should be provided: household
waste, paper and cardboard, glass, kitchen waste, bulky
waste, textiles, WEEE, metal and wood.
• Adapt Vlarem regulations to enable the collection of
organic waste/household waste in small recycling centres.
• During the planning period, OVAM will investigate
whether a subsidy scheme can be adjusted to support the
implementation of additional separate collections of waste
(e.g. organic and garden waste) by local authorities.

32
 • Adapt the Vlarem regulations to regulate the voluntary
take-back system by distribution sectors.
• Encourage public industrial site managers to submit
applications for pilot projects through the OVAM grant
scheme for innovative projects. In addition, encourage
private companies and industrial associations to submit
project applications on sustainable material management.
This can be done through a subsidy call by the Agency for
Innovation and Entrepreneurship (VLAIO) on sustainable
business area management.
• Optimise monitoring of the recycling sector.
• OVAM is examining the feasibility of extending the sorting
rules for GFT waste (including kitchen waste containing
animal byproducts). The aim is to increase the amount of
waste being collected separately and explain the
importance of sorting to consumers. There are compostable
fractions that are currently not allowed in the GFT fraction
because of procedural and legal aspects, namely, meat and
fish leftovers, sauces, eggshells and manure from
carnivorous pets.
• Examine the feasibility, through pilot projects, of collecting
OBA separately from enterprises that are smaller than
SMEs. The aim of this is to understand the costs.

FOOD WASTE PREVENTION

Food waste generation

The total amount of food waste produced across all sectors in Flanders amounts to almost 1,3 million
tons, with 71% separately collected and 29% in the residual waste. Expressed per capita, the highest
production of food waste comes from the food industry (122 kg/capita) because Flanders has an
important food production industry, 55% of the food produced in Flanders is for export. Households
cover 61 kg/capita, this is under the EU-average of 70 kg/capita in 2020.

Measures to prevent food waste

Implementation Plan for Household Waste and Similar Industrial Waste regarding food loss
reduction:
• Establish a consultation platform at a local level, where various stakeholders can get to know
each other and work together.
• Organise round-table discussions at Flemish and local levels to find good practice examples.
• Action 31 on p. 70: During the planning period, specific attention will be paid to those
municipalities and neighbourhoods where the collection volumes of vegetable, fruit and
garden waste (GFT) that is collected separately are below expectations. Local authorities will
look into the causes and will set up additional initiatives for separate collection of this type of
waste. This action has been conducted.

Specific attention is paid to the following issues:

• raising consumer awareness of the importance of collecting organic waste separately,
especially in those locations where the results are lower than expected;
• an evaluation of waste collection efficiency (e.g. costs);
• the amount of green waste and domestic residual waste collected;
• an evaluation of the difference in pricing of separate waste collection and residual waste
collection.

33
Municipalities in green regions should adopt additional initiatives to collect more organic waste
separately.

Food waste — which is part of industrial waste — in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)
should be collected separately. From 2021, the separate collection of food waste is compulsory for
MEs. Annex 6 on p. 131 lists the SMEs to which compulsory separation of food waste applies. From
2024 the separate collection of food waste is compulsory for all enterprises.

Additional measures for prevention of food waste are described in detail in the Action Plan Food Loss
and Biomass. A first evaluation of the progress of this plan will be published on April 18 2023. See
above for a selection of measures and the action plan document for a full list of actions.

REUSE OF PRODUCTS

Data

The Flemish Government has approved an implementation plan to focus on waste prevention and
reuse in 2016. The targets are to be achieved by 2022. A reuse quota of 7kg/inh is to be implemented
by 2022 to surpass the a target of 5kg/inh that was already realised.

With regard to the Commission Implementing Decision (https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-

content/EN/TXT/?uri=uriserv%3AOJ.L_.2021.010.01.0001.01.ENG&toc=OJ%3AL%3A2021%3A01
0%3ATOC), this section will be updated by the EEA accordingly.

In the Implementation Plan for Household Waste and Similar Industrial Waste:
Analyse differences in reuse.
Factors to be analysed:
(1) cooperation between local authorities and recycling centres;
(2) population density; and
(3) distance to the recycling centres, etc.

Develop action plans to achieve more efficient reuse (better communication, awareness-raising
activities, more reuse centres, cooperation with other organisations and shops, organisation of Repair
Cafes, etc.).

OVAM is reviewing the financing of the reuse sector and is looking for alternatives to include reuse
in the product chain.

During the planning period, more emphasis will be placed on reuse initiatives to gain a higher
acceptance of reuse:
• communication with companies and organisations to raise awareness of the benefits of reuse
and services provided by reuse initiatives;
• activities to collect reusable goods.

To strengthen existing sale channels, it is necessary that they work alongside other reuse and recovery
initiatives.

OVAM, together with other stakeholders, will investigate the opportunities and obstacles of new
concepts for reusable baby nappies and for closing the material chain regarding disposable nappies.

Best practice examples

34
Holistic waste prevention concepts

A holistic approach to waste management has been adopted in Flanders. It sets incentives for
businesses, recommendations for local authorities, agreements with specific target groups, and legal
obligations in order to make consumers and businesses aware of waste prevention issues and oblige
them to act.12 Flanders has taken several steps to prevent the production of waste. For instance by
giving support to businesses by providing subsidies to re-use. This includes shops which encourage
reselling furniture, electronics, toys, clothes, etc. Home composting is supported and to date 25% of
people have their own composting unit at home. Privately owned composting units are more common
in rural areas but in urban environments people are encouraged to share neighbourhood composting
units.

Producer responsibility and the “polluter pays” principles are established. Producers are financially
responsible for the collection and treatment of their products once they have become waste so
collection via retailers makes it possible to reuse materials such as electronic waste, batteries and
accumulators, ink-cartridges, pharmaceuticals and car tires. The “polluter pays”-principle is
implemented so that household waste charge is based on volume or weight, and the tariffs are
differentiated. In this way, the discard of mixed household waste is more expensive than selectively
collected waste. All of these factors require communication campaigns which inform citizens and
raise consumer awareness. The active local authorities which launch waste prevention initiatives are
given financial support. The aim is to limit residual household waste to 150 kg per inhabitant per year.

Links to circular economy

Waste prevention is an integral part of the comprehensive transformation towards a circular economy.
It reduces the input of natural resources into the economy as well as the necessary efforts to collect
and recycle waste.

Approaches for improving circularity are often highly interlinked with successful waste prevention.
The following table shows which circular strategies are explicitly integrated into the waste prevention
programme of Brussels.

Topic Addressed in the Comments

programme
Eco-design Yes E.g. ecodesign for plastics
Repair, refurbishment and Yes Various initiatives to support
remanufacture reuse and repair
Recycling Yes E.g. with regard to the
collection of organic
waste/household waste in small
recycling centres
Economic incentives and finance Yes E.g. subsidy schemes for the
implementation of additional
separate collections of waste
Circular business models Yes E.g. initiatives on the sharing
economy

12
See Inno4SD, https://www.inno4sd.net/prevention-and-management-of-household-waste-in-flanders-
belgium-504

35
Eco-innovation Yes E.g. OVAM grant schemes for
innovative projects
Governance, skills and knowledge Yes E.g. ‘learning networks’ for local
authorities

36
Country profile: Belgium - Wallonia
General information:

Name of the country/ region Wallonia

Coverage of the waste prevention regional

programme (national/ regional)

Type of programme (stand alone Part of the Walloon waste plan

or integrated into waste The overall strategy of the current (third) Walloon waste
management plan) plan has been made around the concept of ‘waste
resource’.

The topic of waste prevention and reuse is covered in

Chapter 2 (pp. 51- 120).
Title of programme and link to Plan Wallon des Déchets-Ressources
programme
(environnement.wallonie.be/rapports/owd/pwd/PWDR_3
.pdf)
Duration of programme Start date: 2018
The plan does not have an exact duration. It states that
the current plan will be evaluated and revised (if
necessary) at least every 6 years (p. 17).
Language French

Contact person in the Anne DUMONT, Service public de Wallonie Tel: +32
country/region (0)81 33 65 65
([email protected])
Development process of the The waste prevention programme describes the
programme/ revision involvement of stakeholders in the implementation of the
programme. For each measure, the potential stakeholders
and target audience have been mentioned.
Foreseen budget for A summary of the socio-economic analysis of the waste
implementation of the project prevention programme can be found in Chapter 6 (Table
112 and Table 113 on pp. 393-394). The estimated
additional annual costs related to the implementation of
household waste prevention measures are as follows:
• organic and green waste: EUR 453 600 p.a.;
• paper and cardboard waste: EUR 67 000 p.a.;
• special household waste (excluding batteries and
medicine): EUR 23 800 p.a.
It is estimated that annual costs are identical in the short,
medium and long term. Waste prevention saves money
on the costs of collecting and processing household
waste. The estimated costs avoided have also been
evaluated and are as follows:
• organic and green waste: EUR 1.84 million p.a.;
• packaging: EUR 0.49 million p.a.;

37
 • paper: EUR 0.21 million p.a.;
• special household waste: EUR 0.2 million p.a.;
• bulky waste: EUR 0.21 million p.a.

WASTE PREVENTION PROGRAMME

Objectives and priorities

9.Waste prevention The 289 actions envisaged in the waste prevention programme
objectives of the contributes to the efficiency of use of natural resources while the
Programme generation of waste, pollution and risks to human health are
- quantitative objectives reduced.
(waste reduction) The general objectives of the waste prevention programme include
- qualitative objectives the following (p. 55):
(reduction of hazardous • optimise the use of natural resources and raw materials
substances/ and preserve them to reduce the overall impact on the
environmental impacts) environment;
• decouple waste generation from economic growth;
• prevent the generation of waste by promoting; qualitative
and quantitative waste prevention actions;
• promote the reuse of products and waste;
• develop innovative sectors, particularly in the reuse and
recycling of construction waste, electronic waste, rare
earth metals and plastics;
• continue participation of the social economy in waste
management.
The seven strategic orientations of the waste prevention
programme are (pp. 55- 59):
• OS01: Find a better coherence between the levels of
government.
• OS02: Ensure regional coordination of prevention policy.
• OS03: Strengthen partnership between stakeholders.
• OS04: Promote production and distribution patterns to
prevent waste.
• OS05: Promote eco-consumption.
• OS06: Reinforce the exemplary role played by public
authorities and schools.
• OS07: Establish a list of priority actions per waste stream.
10.
Sectors covered • Primary and secondary production;
• construction and infrastructure;
• manufacturing;
• sale, retail, transport;
• hotels and catering (the Horeca sector);
• households;
• private and public service activities (administration
hospitality, nursing homes, schools).
11.
Priority waste types The following priority waste flows have been identified:
• organic waste and green waste;
• paper/cardboard;
• packaging waste;
• bulky waste;

38
 • waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE);
• hazardous household waste;
• construction and demolition waste;
• used tyres;
• waste oils.

The Walloon waste plan states that the generation of industrial

waste has been decoupled from gross value added (GVA) since
1995. The reasons for this, as stated in the plan, could include
modernisation of industrial tools, innovation support, prohibition
of landfilling of a certain type of waste and consideration of
environmental and economic aspects (p. 72).
12.
Target groups For each measure, a specific target group has been identified.
Many target groups have been mentioned in the Walloon waste
plan, e.g.:
• the Walloon government;
• public administrations;
• municipalities and inter-municipal organisations for waste
management;
• the agricultural and horticultural sector;
• industry (small, medium and large enterprises in various
sectors);
• sale and retail;
• hotels and catering (the Horeca sector);
• consumers (households);
• non-profit organisations (social welfare, charity,
environment);
• the education sector (universities, schools, kindergarten);
• the research and development sector;
• hospitals.

Targets, indicators and monitoring

Indicators Indicators for 10 transversal measures (pp. 65-76).

proposed
Measure 3 (p. 65):
• monitoring of initiatives and achievements, as well as their effectiveness
and efficiency;
• the proportion of research projects devoted to waste prevention and
resource efficiency (in relation to the total number of projects);
• the percentage of products and services being commercialised;
• the number of public contracts taking into account reused products;
• an analysis report on waste reuse by social economy enterprises.

Measure 4 (p. 66):

• a survey of health risks and the level of exposure of the population or
certain target groups to these risks;
• the number of waste categories identified as priorities (integrating the
impacts on human health).

Measure 5 (p. 68):

• the number of public contracts incorporating environmental issues related
to waste prevention;
• the number of eco-teams active in the field of waste prevention;

39
 • reuse day (organised annually);
• the proportion of goods reused (by category of goods).

Measure 6 (p. 69):

• the number of schools aware;
• the degree of awareness and behaviour change.

Measure 7 (p. 70):

• the change in household behaviour concerning a functional circular
economy;
• the number and type of communication and awareness-raising campaigns
on dematerialisation and a functional circular economy;
• the percentage of goods leased (relative to the number of goods sold
annually).

Measure 8 (p. 71):

• market shares of environmentally friendly products, by product category;
• the quantity of packaging waste from products sold in supermarkets;
• the quantity of unsold products in the market, by product category.

Measure 9 (p. 74):

• the percentage of companies using a tool to estimate the full costs (direct
and indirect) of waste;
• the percentage of companies that submit their individual waste prevention
plans and annual reports online;
• the percentage of individual waste prevention plans assessed positively on
the basis on an analysis grid;
• the amount of time spent by environmental advisers from the UWE
(Union wallonne des entreprises), the UCM (Union des classes
moyennes) and the CCW (Confé dé ration Wallonne de la Construction)
and the RISE environmental awareness network (Ré seau intersyndical de
sensibilisation à l’environnementon) on waste prevention actions;
• the number of publications and presentations available on the internet that
help to disseminate good practices in waste prevention;
• the percentage of projects dedicated to industrial waste prevention
implemented under the NEXT programme (which is responsible for
ensuring the deployment of the circular economy in Wallonia) and eco-
zoning programmes.

Measure 10 (p. 76):

• communication actions carried out.

Organic and biowaste (pp. 79-84):

• the number of food waste prevention actions carried out (p. 79);
• the amount of food losses and food waste (tonnes);
• the global food loss index;
• the number of pilot projects implemented to reduce food losses in the
food industry (p. 80);
• the percentage of food businesses that are committed to reducing food
losses (p. 80);
• the number and cost of research and development projects, subsidised by
Wallonia, that are created to reduce food losses in the food industry (p.
81);
• the amount of surplus food donated;

40
 • the number of collaborative agreements between producers/distributors
and the food donation sector to facilitate the donation of surplus food;
• the percentage of environmental permits for retail chains to donate unsold
food;
• the percentage of households affected by the awareness-raising
campaigns;
• a reduction in food waste and food losses in households (p. 83);
• the percentage of households that compost their organic waste at home (p.
84);
• the number of composting experiments in the neighbourhood;
• the number of subsidies granted to promote quality composting at home
and in the neighbourhood.

Paper (pp. 86-89):

• the amount of advertising materials distributed to households (p. 86);
• the percentage of households that are registered on the Robinson list (a
list of people who do not want to receive marketing materials);
• the amount of office paper waste (p. 87).

Packaging (pp. 89-91):

• the share of eco-designed packaging;
• household behaviour towards eco-designed packaging;
• the reuse rate of non-food packaging;
• the number of pre-packaged products;
• the share of reusable packaging in relation to the total quantity of
packaging on the market in Wallonia;
• the number of actions devoted to the reuse of packaging and the fight
against overpackaging;
• the number of beverage packages placed on the market per capita and by
type of packaging;
• the number of public drinking water fountains.

WEEE (pp. 93-94):

• the existence of the regional financial mechanisms dedicated to the
prevention of EEE;
• the evolution of household behaviour towards repair and rent of EEE;
• the amount of EEE repaired per inhabitant and by type of waste;
• the amount of WEEE generated per inhabitant and by type of WEEE;
• the change in producer behaviour towards the repair of EEE.

Hazardous waste (pp. 96-98):

• the evolution of the quantity of rechargeable and non-rechargeable
batteries placed on the market;
• the quantity of purchased products that generate household special waste
(HSW) per capita and by product category;
• the quantity of HSW collected by waste collection method and type of
waste management;
• the number of subsidies allocated to municipalities for the prevention of
household special waste generation (p. 98).

Construction and demolition waste (pp. 102-104):

• the percentage of buildings certified as ‘sustainable buildings’ that
integrate the prevention of construction and demolition waste.

Used tyres (p. 105):

41
 • the number of awareness-raising campaigns on the use of tyres;
• the average lifetime of tyres by type of tyre;
• the reuse rate of tyres by type of treatment and use.

Waste oils (p.108):

• the number of information campaigns to promote the use of
biodegradable oils.

Reuse (pp. 110-119):

• the achievement rate of missions assigned to resources (Federation of
social economy enterprises active in the reduction of waste) (p. 111);
• an annual update of the indicators of the reuse sector’s dashboard of
activities (p. 111);
• the percentage of joint social economy enterprise partnerships that lead to
actions, by type of partnerships (p. 113);
• the quantity of goods collected by social economy enterprises, by
category of goods (p. 113);
• the reuse rate of goods collected by social economy enterprises, by
product category and by resource (p. 113);
• the percentage of second-hand goods sold by social economy enterprises
(p. 113);
• the number of purchases of second-hand goods (p. 115);
• the evolution of human knowledge and perception of second-hand
products (p. 115);
• the visitor satisfaction rate of second-hand retail shops (p. 115);
• the number of communication campaigns carried out;
• the effectiveness of the campaigns (p. 115);
• the quantity of recoverable objects collected from companies, by type of
objects and type of company (p 116);
• the percentage of waste streams for which a quantitative reuse target has
been set in regulatory terms;
• the percentage of additional quantities of waste reused through new waste
recycling channels, by type of waste stream and by type of social
economy enterprise (p. 117);
• the number of actions resulting from collaborations with new
collaborative technologies;
• an analysis report on the feasibility of creating collaborations;
• the number of new networks implemented (p. 117);
• the percentage of WEEE collected and sold by social economy enterprises
(p. 118);
• the implementation rate of the actions of the ‘Recupel’ (waste
management centre) reuse plan and the agreement between ‘Recupel’ and
resources;
• the number of good practice guides distributed or downloaded for the
reuse and recycling of building materials (p. 119);
• the percentage of the social economy enterprises active in the field of
construction waste reuse (p. 119);
• the percentage of construction waste collected and reused;
• the number of actions carried out on the reuse of construction waste,
taking into account existing results and recommendations in other
regions.

This list of indicators is not complete or definitive, as the administration is

working on (1) prioritising the actions to be implemented and (2) selecting
and improving the indicators corresponding to the priority actions identified.

42
 Quantitative Some quantitative targets have been proposed for the priority waste flows:
targets
Food waste:
• reduction of food waste in households by 33% until 2025, compared to
2013 (p. 79);
• define and measure the amount of food waste, and establish monitoring
indicators (p. 79);
Paper:
• reduce household paper consumption by 4.4 kg per capita until 2025, in
comparison to 2013 (p. 86);
Packaging:
• reduce the quantity of household packaging by 7.3 kg per capita until
2025, in comparison to 2013 (p. 89)
WEEE:
• repair 20% of electronic and electric equipment (EEE) (p. 93);
• divert 10% of the purchase of EEE into rental of these products (p. 93);
Hazardous waste:
• increase the use of rechargeable batteries by 38% until 2025 (p. 96);
• promote alternatives for batteries (p. 96);
• reduce the consumption of phytosanitary products in households by 20%
(0.02 kg per capita) until 2025 (p. 97);
• reduce purchases potentially substitutable hazardous products by 6%
(0.12 kg per capita) until 2025 (p. 97);
Monitoring of The programme doesn’t include specific information on a monitoring scheme for
programme the waste prevention programme.

Evaluation of The content of the current Plan Wallon des Déchets-Ressources (PWD-R) 2018
the programme has been developed thanks to an assessment of the results of the actions
implemented under the previous PWD-H 2010. The evaluation reports of the
previous plan and the studies that helped to prepare the current plan are available
online: http://environnement.wallonie.be/
rapports/owd/pwd/evaluation_pwd2010.htm
The evaluation of the actions of the Plan Wallon des Déchets-Ressources (PWD-
R), and in particular the actions of "Cahier 2" on prevention, is planned for 2023.

Prevention measures

Implemented prevention The Walloon waste plan does not specify which waste prevention
measures according to Article 9 measures correspond to the measures in Article 9 or Annex IV of
the Waste Framework Directive. Waste prevention measures are
suggested for all the priority waste flows listed above. Detailed
information of waste prevention measures (including stakeholders,
target groups and sub-measures) can be found between pp. 63 and
119 of the Walloon waste plan.

Table 1: Specific waste prevention measures structured according to Art 9 WFD

43
Promote and support Ensure an environmental research link (measure 3 on p. 65):
sustainable consumption • Continue the actions of competitiveness clusters in applied
models research and innovation, as well as waste prevention and resource
efficiency.
• Encourage participation in European research programmes
related to waste prevention.
• Intensify coherence between research projects funded at different
stages of development of a circular economic process.
• Encourage the research sector to comply with recognised
standards and labels.
• Strengthen the environmental aspects of the DGO6 (Directorate-
General for Economy, Employment and Research) support
programmes.
• Increase the share of public procurement devoted to innovative or
reused products and services, contributing to waste prevention
and resource efficiency.
• Investigate how waste reuse can be integrated into sustainable
material management.
Support local authorities in their mission to achieve waste prevention
and eco-consumption (measure 5 on p. 67):
• Promote actions to reduce packaging waste.
• Evaluate the impact of all actions carried out for the development
of sustainable purchases.
• Identify appropriate contacts for these issues in government and
schools and provide recommendations.
• Develop reuse initiatives within the Public Service of Wallonia.
Educate students about waste prevention in schools (measure 6 on p.
68):
• Identify subsidised educational tools and optimise their
dissemination.
• Identify the stakeholders involved in waste prevention in schools.
• Organise waste prevention actions in schools and raise awareness
among teachers and students.
• Encourage a comprehensive approach that includes both waste
prevention and sound waste management in the environmental
management of schools and school projects.
• Integrate waste prevention into theoretical and practical
educational programmes, e.g. about food waste.
• Strengthen the exemplary role of schools through the integration
of an efficient use of resources as well as waste prevention and
waste management into their management plans.
Encourage dematerialisation and promote a functional economy
(measure 7 in p. 70):
• Identify best practices based on studies carried out on
dematerialisation (EEE, vehicles, furniture, bicycles and textiles).
• Promote local initiatives on the sharing economy.
• Support pilot companies in the implementation of the functional
economy to make this practice better known to consumers.
• Provide financial support, e.g. reduce value-added tax (VAT) for
rental services.
• Work with the government to regulate these new sharing and
rental services, particularly in terms of consumer protection.
Establish a framework agreement with the distribution sector
(measure 8 in p. 71):

44
 • Create an annual report on the implementation of certain policies
within companies, with a view to improving the legislative
framework of waste prevention.
• Reduce the supply of hazardous products and promote more
environmentally friendly alternatives.
• Promote certified/labelled and loose/bulk products.
• Encourage the environmental assessment procedure in shops to
identify and control impacts.
• Ensure that staff are trained on sustainable products and
consumer counselling.
• Encourage actions against food waste, e.g. establish statistics, set
a food waste reduction target, raise consumer awareness.
• Develop indicators to monitor supply and demand for sustainable
products. establishment of sustainable purchase and consumption
behaviour through social platform (e.g. www.bewusstkaufen.at);
Encourage the design, Support companies in their waste prevention policies (measure 9 on
manufacturing and use of p. 73):
products that are • Encourage Walloon companies to join standardisation and
resource-efficient, durable labelling processes.
(including in terms of life • Encourage beneficiaries of Walloon subsidies to use the Eco-
span and absence of Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) or the International
planned obsolence), Organization for Standardization (ISO) standard.
reparable, re-usable and • Continue to collect useful data for measuring the decoupling of
upgradable. economic activity from waste production.
• Improve the computerisation of individual waste prevention plans
and develop a tool for annual reviews.
• Disseminate good practices in industrial waste prevention.
Target products Hazardous products:
containing critical raw • 12. Encourage the use of rechargeable batteries and products
materials to prevent that without batteries (measure 28 on p. 96).
those materials become • 8/9/12. Promote alternatives to hazardous products by, among
waste. other things, disseminating good practices in the form of
voluntary agreements with the trade sector (measure 29 on p. 96).
Encourage the re-use of Reuse (pp. 110-120):
products and the setting • Continue the current framework agreement with non-profit
up of systems promoting organisations or social economy enterprises who are working in
repair and re-use the field of waste reuse (measure 36 on p. 111).
activities, including in • Establish and support partnerships between social economy
particular for electrical enterprises and local authorities (measure 37 on p. 112).
and electronic equipment, • Increase the attractiveness of outlets for second-hand goods using
textiles and furniture, as various instruments (professionalisation, organisation of sales
well as packaging and training for sellers, strengthening of the efficiency of repair
construction materials and workshops, guaranteeing systems offered to the consumer, etc.)
products. (measure 38 on p. 114).
• Organise information awareness-raising campaigns to promote
reuse and gifting (measure 39 in p. 115).
• Disseminate information to businesses on how to get rid of
reusable goods (valuables goods and WEEE), in collaboration
with the social economy sector (measure 40 on p. 116).
• Propose including reuse objectives in legislation (measure 41 on
p. 116).
• Support the development of new reuse opportunities to create a
cooperative for grouping valuable waste streams or promoting
innovative models of cooperation (measure 42 on p. 117).

45
 • Strengthen reuse regulations for WEEE (measure 43 on p. 118).

Encourage, as appropriate
and without prejudice to
intellectual property
rights , the availability of
spare parts, instruction
manuals, technical
information, or other
instruments, equipment or
software enabling the
repair and re-use of
products without
compromising their
quality and safety.
Reduce waste generation • Strengthen prevention measures in standard specifications for the
in processes related to construction of roads and buildings (measure 30 on p. 102).
industrial production, • Promote ecological construction by limiting waste using various
extraction of minerals, instruments (referential, guidance documents, certification,
manufacturing, labelling, calls for projects, training) (measure 31 on p. 103).
construction and • Limit excavated waste materials within the framework of a
demolition, taking into project called ‘Balance équilibrée des remblais-déblais’ (balanced
account best available embankments and cuttings) (measure 32 on p. 103).
techniques. • Establish decommissioning standards for buildings (measure 33
on p. 104).
• Support the reuse of construction waste through (1) the
dissemination of good practices, (2) further analysis of the
composition of construction waste, to evaluate the potential of
reusable waste, and (3) the recovery of certain materials (marble,
ornamental stone) (measure 44 on p. 119).
Reduce the generation of Improve knowledge of food losses and food waste (measure 11 on p.
food waste in primary 79):
production, in processing • Conduct a (food) waste composition analysis campaign for those
and manufacturing, in sectors that have high food waste reduction potential.
retail and other • Create an annual report on the results of the Walloon food waste
distribution of food, in prevention programme ‘Plan REGAL’.
restaurants and food • Contribute to the work of the EEA’s expert group on waste
services as well as in prevention programmes of Member States concerning food
households as a waste.
contribution to the United • Participate in the work of the Food and Agriculture Organization
Nations Sustainable of the United Nations (FAO), Eurostat and the EU platform on
Development Goal to food losses and food waste.
reduce by 50 % per capita • Establish a reference system for calculating food losses and food
global food waste at the waste in Wallonia.
retail and consumer levels
and to reduce food losses Measures on food loss reduction at the production level (measure 12
along production and on p. 79):
supply chains by 2030. • Continue support for research and technological innovation to
reduce food losses and food waste.
• Integrate the topic of food waste into agricultural training
programmes.
• Explore the possibilities of collecting and distributing on of
unmarketable farm produce to charities.

46
 • Develop an audit tool and recommendations for food waste
reduction in agricultural enterprises.
• Improve the dissemination of good practices within farms and
enterprises.

Introduce measures against food losses in the food industry (measure

13 on p. 80):
• Organise theme days focusing on the key points in the fight
against food losses for companies in the food sector.
• Establish voluntary agreements or green deals with companies
that incorporate the fight against food waste into their activities.
• Conduct pilot projects to implement concrete measures and
investments (such as the optimisation of the size of portions,
taking into account food waste and waste generation p. 80).
• Continue support for research and innovation (e.g. in food waste
reduction).
• Implement provisions for the fight against food waste in public
procurement and catering.
• Continue support for local projects such as mobile food
transformation workshops, particularly with social economy
enterprises (e.g. workshops for the processing and preservation of
surplus fruits and vegetables).
Encourage food donation Facilitate the donation of surplus food (measure 14 on p. 81):
and other redistribution • Carry out an inventory of food donations in Wallonia.
for human consumption, • Identify existing good practices within agricultural structures,
prioritising human use food companies, the distribution sector and the Horeca sector,
over animal feed and the and develop recommendations.
reprocessing into non- • Identify the obstacles to food donations and the solutions.
food products. • Ensure cooperation between food distributors, the food donation
sector and producers to ensure donations of surplus food.
• Support the development of logistics management in the charity
sector through training.
• Create an informative platform (moinsdedechets.be) to ensure the
provision of good practices and to support the work of various
stakeholders.
• Support and continue the development of the Food Fair project
and online platforms: Bourse aux dons
(https://www.bourseauxdons.be/) and FoodWe
(https://www.foodwe.be/).
• Promote and establish organised gleaning agreements and
donations of unmarketable produce between farmers and
charities.
• Research opportunities to collect and distribute uneaten food
from events to charities.

Improve the management of food waste in the Horeca sector and

small-scale food distribution sector (measure 15 on p. 82):
• Assess the current state (amount of food losses, causes of food
losses, financial impact of food losses).
• Inform the Horeca sector and small retailers about existing good
practices and potential gains (e.g. cost reduction).
• Promote the use of ‘Rest-O-Pack’ (avoid food waste by taking
home leftover restaurant food).
• Integrate the topic of food waste into professional training.

47
 • Carry out a pilot project to evaluate the idea of adapting portions
to customers’ appetite and demand.
•
Reduce food waste in canteens (measure 16 on p. 82):
• Evaluate the share and amount of food waste in communities.
• Provide training and support local communities on the topic of
food waste and sustainable food.
• Develop partnership agreements and provide incentives to
convince the relevant authorities that they need to provide
sustainable food management and adequate measures against
food waste in canteens.

Educate households on food waste (measure 17 on p. 83):

• 12. Carry out awareness-raising campaigns (occurring multiple
times) to reduce the confusion around notions such as ‘best
before’ and ‘use by’ dates.
• Designate special days for the fight against food waste (REGAL
days).
• Evaluate household behaviour on food waste after awareness-
raising campaigns have been organised.
• Continue to subsidise actions to combat food waste carried out by
municipalities.
• Develop a website (http://moinsdedechets.wallonie.be/) which
includes topics on reduction of food waste and food losses.
• Create a forum to promote the exchange of experiences.

Support quality composting at home and in the neighbourhood

(measure 18 on p. 84):
• Municipalities have to (1) organise the distribution of compost
produced in the neighbourhood, (2) inform residents about all the
practical details of composting, (3) organise training sessions
about composting, and (4) evaluate the quality of the compost
produced.
• Continue to subsidise actions to promote quality composting, e.g.
training.
• Produce and disseminate a methodological guide for the
development of neighbourhood composting projects.
Promote the reduction of Integrate health aspects into qualitative waste prevention (measure 4
the content of hazardous on p. 66):
substances in materials • Assess health risks related to waste.
and products, without • Disseminate validated information on these risks and
prejudice to harmonised precautionary measures.
legal requirements • Propose preventive actions to limit the impact on health.
concerning those
materials and products
laid down at Union level,
and ensure that any
supplier of an article as
defined in point 33 of
Article 3 of Regulation
(EC) No. 1907/2006 of
the European Parliament
and of the Council
provides the information
pursuant to article 33(1)

48
of that regulation to the
European Chemicals
Agency as from 5 January
2021.

Reduce the generation of

waste, in particular waste
that is not suitable for
preparing for re-use or
recycling.
Identify products that are
the main sources of
littering, notably in
natural and marine
environments, and take
appropriate measures to
prevent and reduce litter
from such products,
where Member States
decide to implement this
obligation through market
restrictions, they shall
ensure that such
restrictions are
proportionate and non-
discriminatory.
Aim to halt the generation Packaging waste:
of marine litter as a • Promote the eco-design principles of packaging, especially via
contribution towards the http://moinsdedechets.wallonie.be/ and the Preventpack tool
United Nations managed by Fost Plus (http://www.preventpack.be/) (measure 23
Sustainable Development on p. 90).
Goal to prevent and • Compare bulk versus pre-packaged products, particularly with
significantly reduce respect to wastage generated during transport, from distributors
marine pollution of all and by households, and promote bulk purchase if relevant.
kinds. • Promote reusable packaging and the fight against overpackaging
(measure 24 on page 90).
• Prohibit single-use plastic bags.
• Implement prevention plans in companies to avoid the use of
non-reusable or non-recyclable packaging.
• Promote distribution systems that generate less or no packaging
waste (measures 24 and 25 on p. 91).

WEEE:
• Prevent generation of WEEE waste and promote reuse of WEEE
(measure 26 on p. 93).

49
 • Encourage repair of WEEE, notably through the establishment of
a ‘Repair observatory’ and the consolidation of the Repair Café
network in Wallonia (measure 27 on p. 94).
• Stimulate collaborations between repair shops, retailers and
technical training schools.

Paper and cardboard waste:

• Limit the distribution of unwanted printed post and unwanted
press — the introduction of such a measure is particularly thanks
to the reinforced use of the ‘Stop advertising sticker’ (measures
19 and 20 on p. 86).
• Collaborate with the market and the advertising sector to
implement the ‘dematerialisation of advertising’, e.g. sending
catalogues in electronic format (measure 19 on p. 86).
• In the context of the EPR scheme, prohibit the use of plastic film
around unwanted postal items (measure 20 on p. 87).
• Promote the purchase of office paper according to environmental
criteria (measure 21 on p. 87).
• Promote eco-responsible consumption of paper (measure 22 on p.
87):
• Promote the use of electronic invoices (gas, electricity, water,
internet, TV, etc.).
• Promote the use of electronic advertisement materials, e.g. flyers,
newsletters, etc.
• Evaluate and monitor paper consumption in private offices and
public administrations.
• Carry out a regional campaign to promote the rational use of
paper, by encouraging more citizens to join the Robinson list, for
example.
• Encourage companies to join the Belgian Direct Marketing
Association (BDMA), which manages private Robinson lists in
Belgium.
Develop and support Organise a communication, information and awareness strategy
information campaigns to (measure 10 on p. 75):
raise awareness about • Implement a 3-year communication plan for Wallonia’s waste
waste prevention and prevention programme.
littering. • Ensure the visibility of actions.
• Update the website moinsdedechets.wallonie.be and study the
feasibility of creating a fórum.
• Benchmark (i.e. compare against) innovative projects in other
regions/countries and assess the possibility of adapting them to
the Walloon context.
• Conduct campaigns (information and awareness-raising
campaigns for households).
• Evaluate and adopt good ideas from the zero waste experiences
of households and schools.
• Encourage companies and business federations to join waste
prevention campaigns.
• Promote thematic campaigns to raise awareness among
companies and associations on the benefits of waste prevention.
• Awareness-raising campaigns for children and young people
about overconsumption and non-material gifts.

50
FOOD WASTE PREVENTION

Food waste generation

For 2013, food waste generation in Wallonia has been estimated to be between 14 and 23 kg per
capita. Based on the 3.65 million inhabitants, this would sum up to a volume between 51 and 81
thousand tonnes.

In the future, food waste generation in Wallonia will be calculated based on common EU procedures.

Measures to prevent food waste

The Wallonian Réduction du Gaspillage Alimentaire en Wallonie (REGAL) plan aims to reduce food
losses and wastage by 30% by 2025 and includes 17 specific actions on food waste prevention.13

With regards to the waste flows targeted by the waste prevention programme, around 20% of the
actions are intended to reduce the production of bio-degradable organic waste, by combating food loss
and wastage as a priority.

The initiative “Bon appétit, Zéro Gaspi” (Eat Well, Zero Waste) was launched by the supermarket
Lidl Belgium with the aim to halve food waste by 2025. Products close to the expiration date are sold
at low prices while the profit is donated to food banks.

The waste prevention programme lists various food waste prevention measures:

Educate students about waste prevention in schools (measure 6 on p. 68):

• Integrate waste prevention into theoretical and practical educational programmes, e.g. about
food waste.
Establish a framework agreement with the distribution sector (measure 8 in p. 71):
• Encourage actions against food waste, e.g. establish statistics, set a food waste reduction
target, raise consumer awareness.

Improve knowledge of food losses and food waste (measure 11 on p. 79):

• Conduct a (food) waste composition analysis campaign for those sectors that have high food
waste reduction potential.
• Create an annual report on the results of the Walloon food waste prevention programme ‘Plan
REGAL’.
• Contribute to the work of the EEA’s expert group on waste prevention programmes of
Member States concerning food waste.
• Participate in the work of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
(FAO), Eurostat and the EU platform on food losses and food waste.
• Establish a reference system for calculating food losses and food waste in Wallonia.

Measures on food loss reduction at the production level (measure 12 on p. 79):

• Continue support for research and technological innovation to reduce food losses and food
waste.
• Integrate the topic of food waste into agricultural training programmes.
• Explore the possibilities of collecting and distributing on of unmarketable farm produce to
charities.
• Develop an audit tool and recommendations for food waste reduction in agricultural
enterprises.
• Improve the dissemination of good practices within farms and enterprises.

13
http://moinsdedechets.wallonie.be/fr/je-m-engage/gaspillage-alimentaire#17actions

51
Introduce measures against food losses in the food industry (measure 13 on p. 80):
• Organise theme days focusing on the key points in the fight against food losses for companies in
the food sector.
• Establish voluntary agreements or green deals with companies that incorporate the fight against
food waste into their activities.
• Conduct pilot projects to implement concrete measures and investments (such as the optimisation
of the size of portions, taking into account food waste and waste generation p. 80).
• Continue support for research and innovation (e.g. in food waste reduction).
• Implement provisions for the fight against food waste in public procurement and catering.
• Continue support for local projects such as mobile food transformation workshops, particularly
with social economy enterprises (e.g. workshops for the processing and preservation of surplus
fruits and vegetables).

Facilitate the donation of surplus food (measure 14 on p. 81):

• Carry out an inventory of food donations in Wallonia.
• Identify existing good practices within agricultural structures, food companies, the
distribution sector and the Horeca sector, and develop recommendations.
• Identify the obstacles to food donations and the solutions.
• Ensure cooperation between food distributors, the food donation sector and producers to
ensure donations of surplus food.
• Support the development of logistics management in the charity sector through training.
• Create an informative platform (moinsdedechets.be) to ensure the provision of good practices
and to support the work of various stakeholders.
• Support and continue the development of the Food Fair project and online platforms: Bourse
aux dons (https://www.bourseauxdons.be/) and FoodWe (https://www.foodwe.be/).
• Promote and establish organised gleaning agreements and donations of unmarketable produce
between farmers and charities.
• Research opportunities to collect and distribute uneaten food from events to charities.

Improve the management of food waste in the Horeca sector and small-scale food distribution sector
(measure 15 on p. 82):
• Assess the current state (amount of food losses, causes of food losses, financial impact of
food losses).
• Inform the Horeca sector and small retailers about existing good practices and potential gains
(e.g. cost reduction).
• Promote the use of ‘Rest-O-Pack’ (avoid food waste by taking home leftover restaurant
food).
• Integrate the topic of food waste into professional training.
• Carry out a pilot project to evaluate the idea of adapting portions to customers’ appetite and
demand.

Reduce food waste in canteens (measure 16 on p. 82):

• Evaluate the share and amount of food waste in communities.
• Provide training and support local communities on the topic of food waste and sustainable
food.
• Develop partnership agreements and provide incentives to convince the relevant authorities
that they need to provide sustainable food management and adequate measures against food
waste in canteens.

Educate households on food waste (measure 17 on p. 83):

• 12. Carry out awareness-raising campaigns (occurring multiple times) to reduce the
confusion around notions such as ‘best before’ and ‘use by’ dates.
• Designate special days for the fight against food waste (REGAL days).
• Evaluate household behaviour on food waste after awareness-raising campaigns have been
organised.

52
 • Continue to subsidise actions to combat food waste carried out by municipalities.
• Develop a website (http://moinsdedechets.wallonie.be/) which includes topics on reduction of
food waste and food losses.
• Create a forum to promote the exchange of experiences.

REUSE OF PRODUCTS

Data

Belgium has been one of the frontrunners with regard to the establishment of regional reuse and repair
networks. The Walloon waste prevention programme also includes a specific chapter on reuse as one
of the priority action fields. Aggregated figures will be recorded based on the upcoming EU
regulation.

With regard to the Commission Implementing Decision (https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-

content/EN/TXT/?uri=uriserv%3AOJ.L_.2021.010.01.0001.01.ENG&toc=OJ%3AL%3A2021%3A01
0%3ATOC), this section will be updated by the EEA accordingly.

Measures to support reuse

The following measures are included in the waste prevention programme:

• Continue the current framework agreement with non-profit organisations or social economy
enterprises active in the field of waste reuse (measure 36 on p. 111).
• Establish and support partnerships between social economy enterprises and local authorities
(measure 37 on p. 112).
• Increase the attractiveness of outlets for second-hand goods using various instruments
(professionalisation, organisation of sales training for sellers, strengthening of the efficiency
of repair workshops, guaranteeing systems offered to the consumer, etc.) (measure 38 on p.
114).
• Organise information awareness-raising campaigns to promote reuse and gifting (measure 39
in p. 115).
• Disseminate information to businesses on how to get rid of reusable goods (valuables goods
and WEEE), in collaboration with the social economy sector (measure 40 on p. 116).
• Propose including reuse objectives in legislation (measure 41 on p. 116).
• Support the development of new reuse opportunities to create a cooperative for grouping
valuable waste streams or promoting innovative models of cooperation (measure 42 on p.
117).
• Strengthen reuse regulations for WEEE (measure 43 on p. 118).
• Support the reuse of construction waste through (1) the dissemination of good practices, (2)
further analysis of the composition of construction waste, to evaluate the potential of reusable
waste, and (3) the recovery of certain materials (marble, ornamental stone) (measure 44 on p.
119).
• No information exists on measure 13 in Annex IV of the Waste Framework Directive.

Wallonia has continued and expanded its actions in favour of reuse, notably through the following
measures:

a) Continuation and evaluation of support for social economy enterprises in favour of reuse;
b) Preparation of a regulatory framework intended to reinforce and generalise the preserving
collection of recoverable or reusable objects by municipalities and associations of
municipalities;
c) Calls for projects in favour of reuse in 2021 and 2022;
d) Support for the "repair cafés" mechanism through the Repair together association;

53
 e) Setting up a repair observatory;
f) Deployment of a range of actions in favour of the reuse of construction materials.

Best practice examples

WALOSCRAP

Waloscrap analyses the deposits and secondary material flows in Wallonia and boosts their industrial
development. The initiative is supported by the Walloon Ministry for the Environment and the
Walloon Waste Office - l’Office Wallon des Déchets (OWD). The WALOSCRAP 12-month project
aims to study the potential economic development of deposits and local secondary material streams
that are currently badly exploited or exported when they could be exploited in Wallonia. The project
focussed notably on deposits/flows from plastic waste, used tyres and other waste streams.

Zero Waste

Since 2020, the household waste prevention policy has been redeployed around the concept of Zero
Waste through the following actions:

a) For years, Wallonia has been granting aid to municipalities; this aid is increased for those
who implement a Zero Waste approach that meets the conditions set by regulation (Walloon
Government decree of 17 July 2018, amended on 18 July 2019);

76 Walloon municipalities have notified their adherence to the Zero Waste approach for 2021,
representing 50% of the Walloon population.
In terms of the choice of actions carried out as part of the approach, the preferences are as follows:

Measure A: Measure C: Measure D:

Measure B:
Exemplarity Collaboration Information, Choice of the
Collaboration
of the with social animation and 4 measures
with retailers
municipality economy actors training actions

Number of
municipalities 68 55 59 75 29
having chosen (89,50%) (72,50%) (77,50%) (98,50%) (38%)
the measure

b) Calls for Zero Waste projects in 2020 and 2022 for the hotel and catering industry and food
and non-food businesses,
c) Establishment of a “zero waste” facilitator (“facilitateur”) and development of a zero waste
roadmap (ongoing).
An evaluation of the actions carried out under the Zero Waste label is being prepared thanks to the
reporting obligations of the beneficiaries.

Prevention plans for companies

Some companies are subject to the obligation to draw up prevention plans under two specific
frameworks: the Interregional Cooperation Agreement on the Prevention and Management of
Packaging Waste, made pursuant to Directive 94/62 on packaging and packaging waste; and the
sectoral conditions for certain activities with significant environmental consequences, made pursuant

54
to Directive 2010/75 on industrial emissions (IED Directive). An evaluation of the prevention plan
instrument is underway for IED companies.

Awareness-raising tools

Various awareness-raising tools have been produced and are available on the Walloon waste reduction
website, including some on home composting.
See : https://moinsdedechets.wallonie.be/je-m-informe/ma-commune-zero-dechet

Links to circular economy

Waste prevention is an integral part of the comprehensive transformation towards a circular economy.
It reduces the input of natural resources into the economy as well as the necessary efforts to collect
and recycle waste.

Approaches for improving circularity are often highly interlinked with successful waste prevention.
The following table shows which circular strategies are explicitly integrated into the waste prevention
programme of Wallonia.

Topic Addressed in the programme Comments

Eco-design Yes Inter alia by supporting
alternatives to hazardous
products
Repair, refurbishment and Yes Several initiatives that focus
remanufacture on extending the use phase of
products.
Recycling Yes For example with regard to
composting.
Economic incentives and finance Yes E.g. reduced VAT rates for
renting services.
Circular business models Yes E.g. by providing
information on sharing/
leasing services.
Eco-innovation Yes E.g. in the context of
dematerialisation of products
.
Governance, skills and knowledge Yes E.g. with regard to
identifying stakeholders
involved in waste prevention
in schools.

55