Food waste sorting

Where and how are orange bags processed?

The waste from the orange bag is processed at the biomethanization centers in Ypres and Liège.
One of the first stages is digestion of the waste by bacteria in an oxygen-free reactor for 15 days at 37°C.

This produces gas (methane) and digestate (solid part):

• The gas is burned to produce electricity and heat.
• The digestate is mixed with garden waste to produce compost.

Once the orange bags have been emptied of their contents, they are disposed of separately and then incinerated with energy recovery. For more information, visit: https://www.bru-energie.be 
Please note that this situation is temporary, as a biomethanization center is due to open in the Brussels region in 2026.

You can drop off your cooking oil at an Oliobox collection point:

1. Condition: Pour the cold frying oil into the original packaging or into an empty plastic bottle.
2. Close: Close the bottle tightly and take it to your nearest collection point.
3. Drop off: Deposit the closed bottle in an OlioBox near you.

The frequency of orange bag collection is currently being reassessed by the Agency. New collection scenarios are being developed to optimise waste sorting while respecting regional budget constraints. However, it is stressed that increasing the frequency of collection would entail significant financial costs linked to the increased mobilisation of logistical and human resources.
The Agency recognises the public's concerns about waste management and strives to find solutions that meet their needs while respecting budgetary constraints. The public's expectations are taken into account in the development of collection scenarios. Final decisions will be communicated as soon as they have been taken and implemented.

The Region’s bin bags marked ‘Bruxelles-Propreté’ are available in supermarkets and some retail outlets. They are the only waste bags authorised for the collection of household food waste.

We have been working to educate the retail sector about the increased demand for regulatory orange bag rolls that accompanies the introduction of mandatory food waste sorting.

Sufficient supplies have been produced. However, some stores may be overwhelmed by the high demand and may be temporarily out of stock.

We suggest that you report this lack of orange bags on the shelves to the store managers, who will be sure to inform you of an upcoming restock. If this is not enough, feel free to purchase your orange bags at other stores near you.

• It makes your white bag lighter
• The amount of waste sent to the incinerator is reduced
• Heat, electricity or natural fertiliser can be produced from the food waste, depending on the process used.

You can find more information about the obligation to sort food waste at sort your food waste. 

We offer three alternatives to citizens in the Brussels Region:

• The orange bag
• Individual composting
• The local composting facility

• The development of sorting guides and activities to support households with the changes
• The mass distribution of small orange bins (more than 100,000 have already been distributed)
• The provision of large orange containers (240 L) to apartment buildings whose waste is collected in containers 
• The network of 210 local composting facilities whose density will continue to be increased
• A website dedicated to food waste management has been developed with information and practical advice: dechetsalimentaires.brussels

Food waste should always go in a closed orange bag.

If there is door-to-door collection where you live, your food waste must not be thrown directly into the orange container. Your orange bag, with or without its orange container, must be put out in front of your home on collection day.

If you live in a building where food waste is collected in large containers, you can put your tightly tied orange bags in the large orange container. This will be emptied once a week by a collector appointed by your residents’ association. 

The sorting of food waste is mandatory throughout the Region since 15 May 2023.

Only food waste:

• meal leftovers
• expired foods without their packaging
• fruit and vegetable peel
•  tea bags
• coffee grounds
• paper towels, tissues and paper napkins

Note prohibited items such as fish bones, animal bones or egg shells. Consult our website dechetsalimentaires.brussels for more information.