As a reminder, from January 1, 2024, sorting biowaste will be mandatory for everyone. The aim? To recycle biowaste into materials (compost) or energy (biogas).
What is the current state of biowaste sorting and recycling?
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👉 Most biowaste is landfilled or incinerated
Biowaste accounts for a third of French people's residual waste. Until now, the vast majority of biowaste has been landfilled or incinerated... 🔥
Unfortunately, these highly polluting processes result in considerable emissions of greenhouse gases, particularly methane.
👉 Very limited sorting of biowaste to date
A growing number of local authorities are committed to local management and separate collection of biowaste. However, source separation of biowaste is still very limited in France.
Here are a few telling facts:
🚮 Separate collection of biowaste covers only 6% of the French population (ADEME, 2022). In 2019, only 101 local authorities are committed to separate collection of household bio-waste. This compares with 99% of the population for packaging! (French Ministry of Ecological Transition, 2023).
♻ 34% of the French population claim to practice local composting (individual or collective) of bio-waste. Only a third of this 34% are equipped by their local authority (ADEME, 2020; Natura Sciences, September 14, 2023).
🏭 Few existing composting or methanization facilities are capable and/or authorized to treat kitchen and table waste (ADEME, 2018).
👉 What's the outlook for 2024?
With less than a month to go before the deadline, the implementation of biowaste sorting is a major undertaking for local authorities.
By the time local authorities implement the necessary measures, only 40% of the French population should be covered by mandatory biowaste sorting by 2024 (France Info, November 22, 2023).
Find out in our next article why our waste is worth its weight in gold.
