Correct sorting is crucial for the safety of the waste collection team and ensures that PMD can be recycled more effectively. If PMD is not sorted correctly or the bag is not presented properly, it will be left behind or refused at the recycling center.
PMD stands for plastic packaging, metal packaging, and drink cartons. Only packaging made from these materials should be placed in the blue bag. Examples include plastic bottles, pots, trays, tin cans, aluminum dishes, and drink cartons for milk or juice. Materials such as (plastic) toys, buckets, garden hoses, electrical appliances, batteries, polystyrene, or packaging containing residues of hazardous products (paint, motor oil, pesticides) are not permitted in PMD and must be taken to the recycling center.
For presenting the PMD bag, both at the recycling center and during household collection, a blue bag with the EcoWerf logo must be used. The bag must be tied shut and placed visibly at the roadside for household collection. Packaging must be empty, placed loosely in the bag, and not stacked. Nothing should be tied to the outside of the blue bag.
If incorrect items are found in the blue bag, a sticker will be affixed. The bag must then be taken back inside, the incorrect material removed, the front of the sticker removed, and the bag presented again on the next PMD collection day.
Correct sorting and presentation are important because the materials can then be used to create new products such as packaging, bottles, compost bins, car parts, or roll containers, thus reusing valuable raw materials. It is also essential for sorting facilities that packaging is empty and loose in the bag for correct recognition and separation. Furthermore, correct sorting is vital for the safety of collection and processing staff, as electrical appliances, batteries, or hazardous substances in the PMD can cause fires during collection or processing.
EcoWerf collectors and park attendants will conduct extra strict checks at the end of October. If you are unsure about sorting, consult EcoWerf's sorting guide at www.ecowerf.be/sorteerwijzer.
