Two Brussels recycling parks close as waste strike intensifies
Brussels waste agency Net Brussel closed the Buda and Humanité recycling parks on Friday, 20 March 2026, as the third day of industrial action sharply disrupted rubbish collection across the capital.
In 30 seconds
- Buda and Humanité Recyparks were closed throughout Friday, 20 March 2026.
- More than 63% of the agency’s normal household-waste trucks remained at the depot.
- Net Brussel said its teams still collected more than 60% of white residual-waste bags.
- Residents were asked not to present blue or yellow bags during the disruption.
Updated 20 March 2026 — BRUSSELS. Net Brussel closed the Buda and Humanité recycling parks on Friday as industrial action entered its third day, leaving the other regional Recypark sites open. The agency confirmed that the two facilities would remain closed for the entire day.
The stoppage also disrupted household-waste collection across the Brussels-Capital Region. Net Brussel reported that more than 63% of the refuse trucks normally used for household rounds remained at the depot. Even so, its operational teams collected more than 60% of the white residual-waste bags that had been put out.
According to the agency, missed white-bag rounds were concentrated in , Etterbeek, Koekelberg, Molenbeek and Woluwe-Saint-Lambert. Food-waste collection was most heavily affected in Schaerbeek. Mechanised rounds serving apartment buildings and businesses also faced greater disruption than during the first two days, while scheduled bulky-waste collections at homes continued normally.
Net Brussel asked residents not to put out blue and yellow bags, whose usual collections were heavily disrupted. It prioritised white, orange and green bags because these waste streams include material presenting more immediate sanitation concerns. A planned mobile Recypark operation in Ganshoren was cancelled as well.
VRT NWS described the disruption as a wildcat strike, while official communications from Net Brussel referred to a mobilisation initiated by one of the agency’s trade unions. The available reports did not explain the discrepancy or publish the workers’ detailed demands. A municipal notice from Sint-Agatha-Berchem confirms that a union had filed notice for three days of action from 18 to 20 March.
The closures matter directly to residents and businesses needing to dispose of bulky, electrical, construction or garden waste. Net Brussel’s published guidance says its regional parks accept sorted waste under site-specific access and volume rules, making an unplanned closure more consequential than a delayed kerbside round.
Where this is happening
View on map Brussels-Capital Region →Net Brussel said catch-up collections would begin on Saturday and initially focus on priority waste streams. The regular regional schedule was due to resume from Sunday evening, according to the Sint-Agatha-Berchem notice, although the agency had not confirmed when the two closed recycling parks would reopen or how quickly all missed rounds would be cleared.
What to do
Brussels residents should check Net Brussel or their municipality’s latest instructions before travelling to Buda or Humanité or placing bags outside. During the reported disruption, blue and yellow bags were not to be presented; waste should remain securely stored until an authorised collection round. White bags could also be missed because most normal trucks stayed at the depot. Catch-up collections were scheduled to start on Saturday, 21 March, with priority streams first, so collection was not necessarily immediate. Apartment managers and businesses should alert occupants and avoid adding bags to already missed street collections.
Impact
Regional — The disruption affected several Brussels municipalities, with missed residual-waste rounds reported particularly in Woluwe-Saint-Pierre, Etterbeek, Koekelberg, Molenbeek and Woluwe-Saint-Lambert. Schaerbeek saw the strongest impact on food-waste collection.
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Voices & reactions
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Reported positions, summarised — not direct quotationsNet Brussel’s operational account
Net Brussel said a mobilisation initiated by one of its trade unions immobilised most collection trucks on the third day. The agency prioritised residual, packaging and food-related waste for sanitation reasons and announced catch-up rounds from Saturday.
Wildcat-strike description
VRT NWS characterised the closure as resulting from a wildcat strike. The reviewed material did not include a detailed statement from participating workers or explain why that description differed from official notices referring to union-organised action.
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