RCYCL: collecting and sorting bulky waste
The LIFE project RCYCL (LIFE99 ENV/B/000640) set up a scheme for the collection and reuse of bulky waste in municipalities of Belgium’s German-speaking community and the region of Verviers, under the auspices of a social enterprise.
It introduced a range of services such as repair of furniture, electrical appliances and other household goods, toys and textiles, as well as reconditioning furniture and creating new products from recycled parts.
RCYCL is now an on-demand service for the collection of bulky household and business waste, a sorting centre and network of recycling companies and social enterprises focusing on reuse, and a business which trains people and helps them break into the labour market.
The collected bulky waste is sorted and if necessary disassembled. They work with a local furniture shop, and collect the dozens of old sofas and chairs that the shop ends up with when delivering new items to customers. Those in good condition are passed on to RCYCL's second hand partners. Around 75% of the waste is recovered.
They are now finding that the quality of bulky waste is decreasing and fewer businesses are interested in buying the sorted waste.
- In 2006, RCYCL was named as ambassador of the social economy.
- In 2011, the ASBL received the LABEL REC'UP and in 2012 the approval of the Walloon Region as "RESSOURCERIE".
- The enterprise is particularly proud of the prize as the best social enterprise of the regions of Brussels and Wallonia, also obtained in 2012.
- Currently, 32 people work at the sorting center. RCYCL is now responsible for the collection and sorting of bulky waste from 15 municipalities, about a hundred businesses and nine public social action centres (CPAS).
- In 2023, it collected 3 049 tonnes of waste from 16 896 clients.