Waste Shipment Regulation
What’s changing for you
What’s changing under the EU Waste Shipment Regulation…
From 21 November 2026, the European Union will ban the export of non-hazardous plastic waste to non-OECD countries and significantly tighten controls on exports to OECD countries.
However, today, around 58% of commercial and industrial plastic packaging waste collected in Belgium is recycled outside Europe, with a significant proportion going to Asia. This reliance on external outlets will come to an abrupt end, severely limiting the sector’s room for manoeuvre.
A large proportion of these waste streams will therefore have to be processed in Europe, even though recycling capacities are already under strain (high energy costs, fragile profitability, idle production lines).
This increased pressure risks undermining the system’s overall balance: meeting your legal recycling targets whilst keeping costs under control is becoming significantly more complex.
3 practical implications for you:
1. Your statutory recycling targets will be harder to meet
You will still be subject to high targets for plastic (55%).
2. Recycling will become more expensive
Less export and more processing within Europe will lead to higher costs, at a time when virgin plastic is often still cheaper.
3. Your Valipac declaration is changing
From 2027, you will need to declare your plastics in greater detail, with differentiated rates reflecting the reality of recycling in Europe.
How will Valipac support the ecosystem?
Securing local recycling capacity
Against a backdrop where the imminent ban on exporting plastic waste to non-OECD countries is putting pressure on the collection and recycling of certain industrial packaging streams, Valipac has taken the initiative by seeking recycling partners within OECD member countries that have the necessary capacity to process these complex streams.
Thanks to this agreement, the recycling capacity required to process 6,000 tonnes of big bags will be secured in order to transform this waste into plastic pellets, which will then be reintroduced into new industrial applications.
Funding the transition through tailored rates
From 2027, differentiated contributions will fund a more robust local recycling system. The aim is to avoid market bottlenecks and maintain an effective and economically sustainable collective solution for you.
The level of detail in plastic declarations will evolve to include eight distinct categories:
- Transparent and/or colourless film
- Coloured and/or printed film
- Woven (PP or PET big bags)
- Rigid plastics
- Foams / expanded plastics (EPS, EPP)
- Flexible (PP/PET strapping)
- Other recyclable plastics
- Non-recyclable plastics
The rates for 2027 have not yet been finalised, but for certain types of plastic, the cost could in future be two to three times higher.
How can you minimise the impact on your costs?
✓ Your checklist
✓ Opt for ‘recyclable’ plastics:
transparent, single-material films, which are easier to recycle and yield a higher return → lower recycling fees.
✓ Avoid complex plastics:
limit the use of colours, additives and multi-layered materials, as these will be more expensive to recycle due to their complexity.
✓ Use Valipac’s tools:
use the design4recycling guides and assessments to identify quick wins (simplification, etc.).
✓ Plan ahead with your suppliers:
adapt your packaging now to meet future requirements (recyclability, recycled materials)