Belgium has taken a big step towards a sustainable future with the inauguration of FILAO, our very first integrated recycling centre exclusively dedicated to PET beverage bottles. 80% of the country's PET beverage bottles will be recycled here from now on. FILAO is the result of a collaborative effort by Veolia and Sources ALMA in partnership with Fost Plus. I had the privilege of attending the grand opening of the new facility at the end of September. It was an inspiring experience.
For years, the Fost Plus waste management body has achieved very high door-to-door collection rates for beverage bottles and cans, thanks to those familiar blue bags and significant investments in sophisticated sorting technology. However, a lack of Belgium-based facilities meant the bottles were mostly sent over the border to be recycled in neighbouring countries, adding to road transport. FILAO is set to streamline the recycling loop by avoiding this step, leading to a substantial reduction in CO2 emissions as it processes a remarkable 40,000 tonnes of transparent bottles, each year.
It will do all of this with a strong emphasis on renewable energy sources and the latest in sustainable manufacturing practices. Spanning an impressive 12,000 square meters of photovoltaic panels, equipped with advanced water management systems, and backed by a substantial €40 million investment, FILAO is on track to prevent the emission of a staggering 120,000 tons of CO2.
The opening of FILAO marks a significant step towards closed loop circularity for PET beverage bottles in Belgium. Each bottle will be seamlessly transformed into recycled PET pellets and restored to food contact quality, ready to be reintegrated into new bottles destined for the Belgian market. The centre stands as an example of the natural mineral water sector’s commitment to achieving closed-loop circularity for packaging materials and increased resource efficiency. It is also a testament to Belgium's dedication to a greener, cleaner future.
The next action to take is to address the bottles and cans discarded on-the-go – still all too common a sight on our streets. Discussions are ongoing around how to overcome this next hurdle towards fully circular beverage packaging.
For now, FILAO demonstrates that effective solutions are possible. I hope that, after reading this, you will toss your bottles into the blue bin with a sense of optimism and pride, knowing that they are destinated for processing in one of the most advanced recycling centres in Europe.
Patricia Fosselard, Secretary General, Natural Mineral Waters Europe
