Luxembourg updates its waste management strategy
Kateryna Hliznitsova, Unsplash
From 11 June to 1 October 2025, Luxembourg is hosting a public consultation on the third version of the National Plan for Waste and Resource Management (PNGDR). The document is the result of extensive consultation work and is now being put out to the public - via the portals enquetes.public.lu and zesumme-vereinfachen.lu. The authorities hope to involve citizens, businesses and local authorities in the finalisation of the strategy, which will define the country's "rubbish policy" for years to come.
PNGDR (Plan national de gestion des déchets et des ressources) is a strategic document that defines the rules, objectives and methods of waste management in the country. It includes:
- analysing the current situation;
- infrastructure needs assessment;
- specific recycling and waste reduction targets;
- taking into account both European and national regulations.
The plan takes into account key European documents, including the Waste Directive, the Packaging, Batteries and Car Recycling Regulations, as well as national initiatives: Null Offall Lëtzebuerg (Zero Waste) and the Circular Economy Strategy.
Modern ecological logic is at the centre of the strategy:
- Waste management hierarchy: prioritise waste prevention over recycling.
- Polluter pays: the cost of waste disposal should be borne by the waste producers.
- Extended producer responsibility: companies must take care of the fate of their products until the very end of their "life".
- Health and environmental protection - as an absolute value in all decision-making.
The strategy also covers quantitative indicators for recycling and disposal of soil, excavation volume, technical waste collection and many other parameters.
At first glance, the PNGDR plan is a technical document. But in reality it defines how every household, enterprise and municipality will function in the next 5-10 years. From waste sorting to the rules for the use of machinery, from packaging of goods to construction planning - everything falls under the scope of this document.
Moreover, the PNGDR is a key tool for implementing EU environmental policy in Luxembourg. It links greenhouse gas emission reduction, soil conservation, biodiversity and resource efficiency targets into a single management system.
