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A study has unveiled its findings on the management of industrial, hazardous and non-hazardous waste. Between 2014 and 2017, preparation for reuse increased by 22.2% and recycling by 59%. The study surveyed 200 companies representing a total tonnage of 2.8 million hazardous and non-hazardous wastes.
Disposal and destruction of industrial waste declined by 16.2% between 2014 and 2017, in favor of recycling, preparation for reuse and material recovery.
Increased recycling and preparation for re-use of industrial waste
In 2017, the recycling of industrial waste and the recovery of organic waste by returning it to the soil accounted for 47% of total waste processed, compared with 34% in 2014. In four years, recycling has increased by 59% (1,298,745 tonnes in 2017 versus 817,046 tonnes in 2014). Recycling or recovery of organic substances not used as solvents (including composting operations and other biological transformations) jumped by 97.9% (203,995 tonnes processed in 2017), that of metals and metal compounds rose by 73.25% (673,421 tonnes in 2017), while recycling of other inorganic materials increased by 29.50% (413,420 tonnes in 2017).
For its part, the preparation of waste for reuse rose by 22.2%: 319,396 tonnes in 2017 compared with 261,332 tonnes in 2014.
Increasingly responsible waste disposal practices
In 2017, waste disposal accounted for 26% of total waste processed, compared with 35% in 2014. Over the four years observed, disposal fell by 16.2% to 719,785 tonnes in 2017 (versus 859,139 in 2014). Lagooning (e.g., dumping liquid waste or sludge into wells, ponds or basins, etc.) fell by 99.59%, discharges into the aquatic environment (excluding dumping) by 53.03%, deposits on or in the ground (e.g., landfilling, etc.) by 43.75%, specially engineered landfill (e.g. placement in separate lined cells, covered and isolated from each other and the environment, etc.) by 23.36%, and onshore incineration by 15.23%.
Waste incineration with energy recovery fell by 22.58%, in favor of material recovery. For example, land application for agricultural or ecological purposes jumped by 83.24%, while solvent recovery or regeneration increased by 25.22%.
Reminder: hierarchy of waste treatment methods
The hierarchy of waste treatment methods consists of prioritizing, in order, after prevention :
- preparation for reuse ;
- recycling and recovery of organic waste by returning it to the soil ;
- any other recovery, in particular energy recovery;
- disposal (article 4 of the directive, article L.541-1 of the French Environment Code).
Study methodology
The study was based on anonymized data entered by 200 industrial companies, from 2014 to 2017, in the Tennaxia company's waste management module. It covers 2.8 million tonnes of hazardous and non-hazardous waste, or 15% of total tonnage in France.
As a reminder, the waste management module enables compliance with regulatory requirements in terms of traceability, treatment and transport of hazardous and non-hazardous waste emitted by manufacturers. It automates the issue of Cerfa waste tracking slips, as well as the annual declaration of polluting emissions and waste, better known as the "Gerep declaration". It also facilitates tracking of waste treatment and shipping costs.