France is playing a pioneering role in the treatment of waste

(19/09/2008)

The recycling of waste materials has become a major environmental and economic issue: today, the world generates 3,100 million metric tons (Mt) of waste each year. France is playing a pioneering role in the treatment of waste, using practical working methodologies to deal with the problems, and applying the ‘polluter pays’ principle.

Proposed new reforms in France will focus on waste reduction. The aim is that, by 2012, 35% of waste will be recycled, and, by 2015, the proportion of waste that is recycled will have reached 45%.

The annual recycling of waste products in France – primarily household waste (28Mt), municipal waste (14Mt) and industrial waste (90Mt) – amounts to 132Mt. This only represents 16% of the total amount of waste produced (849Mt), which includes waste from agricultural and building activities (717Mt).

However, this offers the most advantages in terms of recycling: in France 38.7 million metric tons of material are extracted from waste and transformed into 31.9 million tons of raw material each year.

Various not-for-profit companies funded by manufacturers have been created in France to recycle waste. These recycling companies set the buyback tariff for waste material from collectors and the purchase price for recycling companies. The sector has 2,400 companies and employs 31,500 staff.

Eco-emballage has been a pioneer in selective recycling management since 1992, and other organisations specialising in specific materials include Aliapur (rubber tyres), Valorplast (plastics/household packaging), Ecopse (polystyrene), Recyfilm (plastic films), Ecofut (plastic containers), Motus-Véolia (paper and documents) and Adivalor (agricultural waste).

“This rapidly expanding sector has 2,400 companies employing 31,500 people. It is particularly attractive to international investors. Around 10 projects have been identified (not including energy production) by Invest in France Agency monitors. Four of these investment projects are led by foreign companies: Wellman France Recyclage at Verdun, Freudenberg Politex at Colmar, Amcor at Ste-Marie-la-Blanche (taken over by Spanish company La Seda), and Sorepla at Neufchâteau (Dutch group Envipco). Spanish group Urbaser also operates in France through its subsidiary, Valorga, a global leader in the field of methanisation plant construction,” says Philippe Favre, President of the Invest in France Agency.

Related categories:  Aggregate and concrete recycling   Batteries recycling   Biodegradable waste   Electronic and electrical waste recycling   Environmental technology Companies   Glass recycling   Metal recycling   Paper and cardboard recycling   Plastic recycling   Recyclable materials   Textile recycling   Waste treatment technologies   Wood and timber recycling