Do I have to sort the waste from my restaurant, shop or office? What changes if I use a private waste collector?
In short
Yes. Businesses must also sort their waste, and the list is longer than for households: it includes food waste and frying oil. In Wallonia, the duty applies above certain quantities. Using a private waste collector does not remove the duty; keep the contract and the collection records.
Video transcript
You run a restaurant and use a private waste collector. You think: I'll put everything in one container, the collector will sort it. Required: Businesses must sort their waste too, and the list is longer than for households: food waste and frying oil are included. In Wallonia, above certain quantities. The right way: A private collector does not remove the duty to sort. Use separate containers. Keep the contract, invoices and collection records, and show them during an inspection. Administrative fine: Brussels: 50 € – 62.500 €; Wallonia: 150 € – 200.000 €; Flanders: 50 € – 2.000.000 €.
What is not allowed, what is required?
- Flanders: businesses must put out separately at least paper and cardboard, glass, PMD, film, hard plastics, frying oil, kitchen waste, food scraps and food waste (VLAREMA art. 4.3.2 §1).
- In Flanders, if a collector picks up a business's residual waste (bedrijfsrestafval), a contract is compulsory. It must list the waste streams and how each one is collected (art. 4.3.2 §2).
- In Flanders, no contract is needed if the waste is similar to household waste in type, composition and quantity, is collected on the same round as household waste and is paid for (art. 4.3.2 §2). If business residual waste is put in a container in bags, the bags must be transparent (art. 5.3.13.2).
- In Flanders, kitchen waste, food scraps and unpackaged food may go in the same container. Dry waste streams such as paper, wood, metal and plastic may only be collected together if the container holds no other waste, goes to a licensed sorting facility and, where there is a contract with a collector, the contract provides for this (art. 4.3.2 §3–4).
- Brussels: businesses must sort 16 waste streams, including PMC, paper and cardboard, glass, food or kitchen waste, frying oil and textiles (Brudalex art. 3.7.1). For food waste from restaurants and shops, this has applied since 1 May 2023.
- In Brussels, every business must keep a waste register, keep the collection documents on its premises and show them during an inspection (Brudalex art. 1.7).
- Wallonia: businesses must sort waste above certain quantities, for example PMC 60 litres a week, paper and cardboard 30 litres a week, glass 120 litres a week and frying oil 50 litres a month (Walloon government decree of 5.3.2015, art. 2). There is no threshold for batteries and electrical appliances.
- In Wallonia, keep the contract, invoice, collection certificate or proof that you use the municipal service for at least 2 years (art. 7). Handing waste over to a collector does not relieve you of your responsibility (Waste Decree art. 47 §3).
Penalty and indirect consequences
- Fine / payment
- In Brussels, the alternative administrative fine is 50 € – 62.500 €. In Wallonia, for offences such as failing to provide proof, the administrative fine is 150 € – 200.000 €. In Flanders, an environmental offence dealt with administratively instead of in court can lead to an alternative administrative fine of 50 € – 2.000.000 €.
Legal basis:Code bruxellois de l'inspection, art. 45Décret wallon 9.3.2023 art. 204, 19°–20° + Code de l'environnement art. D.198 §1
- Court / prison
- For serious offences, criminal proceedings are also possible: 8 days – 2 years in prison in Brussels and 8 days – 3 years in Wallonia. In Flanders, managing waste in breach of the rules carries 1 month – 5 years in prison if deliberate, and 1 month – 3 years if through negligence.
Legal basis:Code bruxellois de l'inspection art. 31 §1; Code wallon de l'environnement art. D.178 §…
What really matters: the indirect consequences
- Depending on the contract, the waste collector can refuse to empty a container that does not comply or can charge extra sorting costs
- If you cannot show a contract or proof of collection during an inspection, you can be fined for that too
Legal basis:Décret wallon 9.3.2023, art. 204, 20°
Why does this rule exist?
Businesses produce a lot of paper, packaging and food waste. The rule makes sure these materials are recycled and that food waste becomes compost or biogas.
Where can you go?
- Accountant or social secretariatDimona, e-invoicing and tax obligations
- Organisations for self-employed peopleFlanders: Unizo · Wallonia and Brussels: UCM
- Tax office (FOD Financiën / SPF Finances)Declaring foreign property and accounts
- Social interpreterAt the municipality, the OCMW/CPAS, school and hospital, you can ask for an interpreter in your language; it is often free.
This site does not handle individual cases; it points you to the right service. All help addresses
Source and reliability
Official source- Source check
- 18 / 21 statements in an official source
- Checked: 26.10.2026
- Last checked
- 26.10.2026
- Rules can change
Show the 21 checked statementsopen
- Found in an official source
Flandre: işletme fraksiyonları listesi
VLAREMA (BVR 17.2.2012), Justel, art. 4.3.2 §1 - Found in an official source
Flandre: firma topluyorsa sözleşme ve içeriği
VLAREMA (BVR 17.2.2012), Justel, art. 4.3.2 §2 - Found in an official source
Flandre: belediye turunda toplanan ev atığına benzer atık için sözleşme istisnası (3 şart)
VLAREMA (BVR 17.2.2012), Justel, art. 4.3.2 §2 - Found in an official source
Flandre: konteynerde işletme karışık çöpü için şeffaf poşet (2023'ten beri tüm poşetler)
VLAREMA (BVR 17.2.2012), Justel, art. 5.3.13.2 - Found in an official source
Flandre: mutfak atığı ve yemek artıkları aynı kapta
VLAREMA (BVR 17.2.2012), Justel, art. 4.3.2 §3 - Found in an official source
Flandre: kuru fraksiyonlar yalnızca şartlarla birlikte (izinli ayrıştırma tesisi, sözleşme)
VLAREMA (BVR 17.2.2012), Justel, art. 4.3.2 §4 - Found in an official source
Brüksel: işletmeler 16 akışı ayırır (PMC, kâğıt, cam, yemek atığı, yağ, tekstil…)
Brudalex (AGRBC 1.12.2016 relatif à la gestion des déchets), Justel, art. 3.7.1 §1 (remplacé par AGRBC 23.6.2022) - Found in an official source
Brüksel: yemek atığı 1.5.2023'ten, tekstil 1.1.2025'ten
AGRBC 23.6.2022 modifiant Brudalex, dispositions finales - Found in an official source
Brüksel: atık kaydı, izlenebilirlik belgeleri, işyerinde saklama, istenince gösterme
Brudalex (AGRBC 1.12.2016 relatif à la gestion des déchets), Justel, art. 1.7 - Found in an official source
Valonya: eşiklerin üstünde ayırma (PMC 60 l/hafta, kâğıt 30 l/hafta, cam 120 l/hafta, yağ 50 l/ay)
AGW 5.3.2015 instaurant une obligation de tri de certains déchets, Justel, art. 2 §1 - Reliable secondary source
Valonya: pil, lastik, AEEA gibi atıklarda eşik yok
AGW 5.3.2015 instaurant une obligation de tri de certains déchets, Justel, art. 2 §1 (tableau) - Found in an official source
Valonya: kanıtı en az 2 yıl saklama; sözleşme, fatura, toplayıcı belgesi veya belediye hizmeti kanıtı
AGW 5.3.2015 instaurant une obligation de tri de certains déchets, Justel, art. 7 §1 - Reliable secondary source
Valonya: atığı toplayıcıya vermek üreticinin sorumluluğunu kaldırmaz
Décret wallon 9.3.2023 relatif aux déchets, art. 47 §3 - Found in an official source
Brüksel: alternatif idari ceza 50–62.500 €
Code bruxellois de l'inspection, art. 45 - Found in an official source
Valonya: md. 47 ve kanıt ihlalleri 2. kategori; idari ceza 150–200.000 €
Décret wallon 9.3.2023 art. 204, 19°–20° + Code de l'environnement art. D.198 §1 - Found in an official source
Flandre: idari yolla takip edilen suçlar (misdrijven) için alternatif idari ceza 50 € – 2.000.000 €; atık yönetimi 'inbreuk' sayılamaz (16.6.6 §1)
DABM 5.4.1995, art. 16.6.5 - Found in an official source
Ceza aralıkları: Brüksel 8 gün–2 yıl; Valonya 8 gün–3 yıl; Flandre atık yönetimi (kasıt) 1 ay–5 yıl, (ihmal) 1 ay–3 yıl
Code bruxellois de l'inspection art. 31 §1; Code wallon de l'environnement art. D.178 §2; DABM art. 16.6.3 §1 - Reliable secondary source
Sözleşmeye göre firma uygun olmayan konteyneri reddedebilir veya ek ayrıştırma ücreti isteyebilir
IVAGO / Renewi bilgi sayfaları (arama sonucu özetleri) - Found in an official source
Kanıt sunmamak ayrı ihlal (Valonya md. 204 20°)
Décret wallon 9.3.2023, art. 204, 20° - Found in an official source
Valonya'da işletme ayırma yükümlülüğü eşiklerin üstünde
AGW 5.3.2015 instaurant une obligation de tri de certains déchets, Justel, art. 2 §1 - Found in an official source
Flandre: yasak, şeffaf olmayan poşet kullanmaktır (poşet zorunluluğu değil)
VLAREMA (BVR 17.2.2012), Justel, art. 5.3.13.2
The checked statements are in Turkish, as in the source text. This check does not replace legal advice.
General information, not legal advice. For your own situation, ask a lawyer or free legal aid. How was this information prepared?