Waste management

France’s policy on waste, like its environmental policy in general, is strongly influenced by Community policy. It has progressively diversified its objectives: public hygiene, security, reduction in the environmental impact of different treatments and, more recently, prevention and recycling. These main orientations are contained in the July 15 1975 law amended by the July 13 1992 law on elimination of waste and recovery of materials. Furthermore, waste treatment and elimination facilities are considered as classified installations in France, i.e. installations which may represent dangers or inconveniences for locals in terms of health, safety, public health, agriculture, protection of nature or the environment, and conservation of sites and monuments. Regulations relating to Classified Installations oblige operators to assess their waste management and to implement reduction measures so as to minimise risks associated with their facilities. Substantial progress has been made in the quality of treatment and recycling facilities. Nevertheless, the use of landfill must be reduced still further and the production of waste has grown steadily until levelling off recently. In autumn 2007, the Environment Grenelle was an opportunity to establish the main guidelines of a new national policy on waste management. By defining prevention and recycling objectives for waste for the period 2012-2015, this participative governance process has also defined 25 measures to reduce waste production, limit the quantities of waste sent to landfill and incinerated and to considerably develop recycling. These actions are perfectly in line with the priorities defined by the new waste framework directive (directive 2008/98/EC), which establishes a ranking between the different forms of waste treatment, with, by order of preference, prevention, preparation for re-use, recycling, other forms of recovery (in particular for energy), and elimination. The Grenelle 1 Law uses this ranking specifying that the “waste reduction policy, which is a priority over all forms of treatment, will be bolstered by the eco-design of products in manufacturing, distribution and consumption until the end of its product lifecycle”. The 2009-2012 waste plan announced in September 2009 summarises the Grenelle challenges and the framework Directive organising them into strategic themes.