25,000 tonnes of food waste collected in Brussels last year, but room for improvement

While 25,700 tonnes of organic waste were collected in the Brussels region last year, sanitation agency Bruxelles Propreté has said that there is still room for improvement, with many residents yet to change their habits and switch over to the compulsory orange bags.

“We estimate that there are still tens of thousands of tonnes of food waste in the white bags of Brussels residents,” the agency said.

Last year’s tonnage is a record since the introduction of the orange bag in May 2023, when the year’s collection totalled 18,037 tonnes.

That figure rose to 25,000 tonnes the following year in 2024 and reached 25,700 tonnes in 2025, according to the latest figures.

“This demonstrates a gradual but real change in the sorting habits of Brussels residents,” Bruxelles Propreté said.

The organisation estimates that the large quantities of Brussels organic waste currently being collected help prevent the emission of more than 4,000 tonnes of CO2 annually.

All organic waste is converted into biogas or compost, which contributes to a smaller ecological footprint for the region - 20 tonnes of food waste can generate enough electricity to power a four-person household for a whole year.