When you build or renovate, waste usually means rubble, wood and large leftovers. But the smaller waste on your site deserves attention too. Empty bottles, cans and packaging still often end up mixed in with construction waste, even though they're perfectly recyclable. A few simple steps are enough to avoid the most common mistakes.
1. Set PMD aside from day one, not at the end of the day
On a construction site, the focus is on pushing forward and hitting deadlines. Clean-up often happens only at the end of the day, and everything tends to go the same way at that point. That's exactly why empty drink cans, bottles and food packaging end up in the construction waste. From the start, put a visible PMD bag on site, so sorting isn't something to deal with afterwards.
2. Keep packaging and building materials separate
Silicone tubes, paint pots, cables, garden hoses and sanitary fittings look like packaging, but they're not. They belong at the recycling park, not in the PMD bag. Gloves, worn-out workwear and scouring pads are also often sorted incorrectly — these go in the residual waste. The rule of thumb: only packaging goes in the PMD, anything that's a work tool or everyday object does not.
3. Know what to do with stretch film
Plastic packaging from building materials, such as stretch film, counts as industrial packaging. Take these films to the recycling park. They don't belong in the PMD bag.
4. Set up clear waste zones on the site
The simpler the system, the more likely everyone on site will actually sort. Work with clearly marked zones: a visible PMD bag, a box for paper and cardboard, a separate container for materials that need to go to the recycling park. Make this clear with everyone coming onto the site — sorting after the fact rarely happens.
5. In doubt? Check it quickly
Some materials stay confusing: electronics, fluorescent tubes, vapes, plastic bottles with child-proof caps.
In doubt?👉 Check it on Bettersorting.be 👉 Or in the Recycle! app
In a few seconds, you'll know where your waste belongs.
