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Garbage & Waste Collection in Leuven

Practical waste information for students living in Leuven

Living in Leuven means following the city’s waste collection and sorting system. You cannot use ordinary household garbage bags for residual waste. Leuven requires specific official waste bags for residual waste, PMD and, in the city centre, GFT.

If you are staying at Sint-Jacobsplein 21, this page contains everything you need to know about buying the correct bags, sorting your waste and putting it outside at the correct time.

🗑️ Which waste bags do I need?

There are three types of official Leuven waste bags:

These are the current prices published by the City of Leuven.

🟤 Brown bag – residual waste

Use the official brown Leuven bag for waste that cannot be recycled or sorted into another waste stream.

There are two sizes:

• 60 litres – maximum 15 kg
• 30 litres – maximum 7.5 kg

Do not overfill the bags or make them too heavy.

🔵 Blue bag – PMD

Use the official blue PMD bag for:

• Plastic packaging
• Metal packaging
• Drink cartons

Available sizes:

• 60 litres
• 90 litres

🟢 Light-green bag – GFT

Because Sint-Jacobsplein is in the centre of Leuven, GFT is collected in official light-green GFT bags.

GFT means:

• Vegetable waste
• Fruit waste
• Garden waste
• Other accepted organic waste

Available sizes:

• 20 litres
• 40 litres

The light-green bags are specifically used in Leuven city centre.

🛒 Where can I buy official Leuven waste bags?

The City of Leuven states that official waste bags are available in most supermarkets in Leuven.

They are also available directly from the Leuven city office (Stadskantoor), where you can buy them without an appointment. Payment by bank card is preferred, although cash is also accepted.

Shops near Sint-Jacobsplein

The following supermarkets are convenient options from Sint-Jacobsplein:

Spar Leuven

3,9•SupermarktWebsite

•Routebeschrijving

•016 23 90 62

Brusselsestraat 124, 3000 Leuven

One of the closest supermarkets to Sint-Jacobsplein and a convenient option for students.

Delhaize Leuven

4,0•SupermarktWebsite

•Routebeschrijving

•016 22 12 67

Brusselsestraat 31, 3000 Leuven

Located on Brusselsestraat, within easy walking distance from Sint-Jacobsplein.

Carrefour Express Leuven Brusselsestraat

3,9•KruidenierWebsite

•Routebeschrijving

•016 22 70 38

Brusselsestraat 60, 3000 Leuven

A convenient smaller supermarket in the city centre.

Lidl

4,1•SupermarktWebsite

•Routebeschrijving

Engels Plein 26, 3000 Leuven

A larger supermarket just across the Vaart from the city centre.

Colruyt Leuven

4,2•SupermarktWebsite

•Routebeschrijving

•016 23 44 99

Lombaardenstraat 2, 3000 Leuven

A larger supermarket within walking distance of the centre.

Shop & Go Delhaize Leuven Diestsestraat

4,3•SupermarktWebsite

•Routebeschrijving

•016 90 85 70

Diestsestraat 228, 3000 Leuven

Another convenient city-centre option.

Carrefour Express Leuven

4,5•KruidenierWebsite

•Routebeschrijving

•016 82 33 87

Rector De Somerplein 12, 3000 Leuven

Convenient if you are already shopping in the Grote Markt / Oude Markt area.

Important: the City of Leuven confirms that the bags are sold in most supermarkets, but individual shops can have different stock. If you need a particular size or type, check availability in the shop.

🏛️ Guaranteed official sales point

If you want to buy the bags directly from the City of Leuven:

Stadskantoor Leuven
Professor Roger Van Overstraetenplein 1
3000 Leuven

You do not need an appointment to buy waste bags there.

♻️ When do I put my waste outside?

This is important.

For normal door-to-door collection in Leuven:

Put your waste outside BEFORE 07:00 on the collection day.

Do not put it outside the evening before.

The City of Leuven explicitly instructs residents to put waste on the pavement before 07:00 on the collection day, and not the night before.

For Sint-Jacobsplein, this means that waste should not be left outside overnight.

Please check the official Leuven waste calendar for the exact collection day.

Check the official Leuven waste calendar

The City of Leuven currently provides a specific 2026 waste calendar for Leuven centre.

📦 What goes where?

🟤 Brown bag — Residual waste

General household waste that cannot be recycled or sorted into another collection stream.

Maximum weight:

• 60 L bag → 15 kg
• 30 L bag → 7.5 kg

🔵 Blue bag — PMD

Plastic packaging, metal packaging and drink cartons.

Do not put ordinary household waste in the blue bag.

🟢 Light-green bag — GFT

Organic kitchen and garden waste.

The light-green GFT bags are used for Leuven city centre.

📦 Paper and cardboard

Paper and cardboard are collected separately.

The City of Leuven requires paper/cardboard to be placed in a closed cardboard box or tied together with natural string.

⚠️ Please use the correct bags

Ordinary black, white or transparent garbage bags are not a substitute for the official Leuven bags.

For residual waste, use the official brown Leuven waste bags.

For PMD, use the official blue Leuven PMD bags.

For GFT in Leuven city centre, use the official light-green GFT bags.

This system is operated by the City of Leuven and EcoWerf.

🏠 For residents of Sint-Jacobsplein 21

Please keep the following practical rules in mind:

✔ Use official Leuven waste bags

Do not use ordinary garbage bags for residual waste.

✔ Check the collection day

Do not assume that waste is collected every day or on the same day every week.

✔ Put waste outside on the correct day

Before 07:00 on collection day — not the evening before.

✔ Do not leave bags in the entrance, hallway or communal areas

Waste bags should not be stored in the building’s common areas.

✔ Do not leave bags outside several days in advance

Apart from being against the collection rules, this creates an unnecessary nuisance for neighbours, pedestrians and other residents.

✔ Sort correctly

Use the brown, blue and green bags for the appropriate waste streams.

💡 Quick guide for students

🟤 Brown = residual waste
🔵 Blue = PMD
🟢 Green = GFT
📦 Paper/cardboard = separate collection

Buy the official bags → check the Leuven waste calendar → put the bags outside before 07:00 on collection day.

Official information

For the most up-to-date information about waste collection, sorting and waste bags, always refer to the City of Leuven:

Official City of Leuven – Waste bags

Official City of Leuven – Waste collection

Official City of Leuven – Waste calendar

City of Leuven – Waste collection service:
016 27 40 10
stadsreiniging@leuven.be