What do we see?
The graph below shows the evolution of the residual waste collected from Flemish households and how much of it is compostable kitchen waste. In both absolute and relative terms, we see that the amount of residual waste is decreasing. The same applies to the amount of organic waste that ends up in the residual waste. In the context of a transition to a circular economy, this is a positive sign.
What’s the aim?
In a circular economy, our primary aim is to prevent waste by maximising the use of products. Where food waste is unavoidable, we look at ways to get value out of that waste.
By gaining a better insight into the amount of waste that is not currently being sorted for collection, we can find out which areas we should put extra effort into.
What does this indicator measure?
This indicator shows how much food waste is not sorted for household collection and therefore ends up in the residual waste. The proportion of this has already gone down over recent years but there is still room for improvement.
The data is collected by OVAM, which carries out periodic research into this. The most recent study was started in 2021 but the data is not yet available. The most recent data we do currently have dates back to 2013/2014.
