Biowaste source separation: everyone concerned

Since January 1, 2024, all businesses and individuals must source-sort their biowaste to promote its recovery and reduce food waste.

Juliette Virly
Consultante HSE
Publication : 
19.12.2023
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Please note: This article concerns French legislation. The requirements described may not apply in other countries.

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Effective from 1st January 2024, the source-sorting of biowaste becomes mandatory for all businesses and individuals.

Biowaste Source-Sorting Obligations

Since 2012, businesses generating significant biowaste streams (120 tonnes per year in 2012, then 10 tonnes per year in 2016) have been required to source-sort the biowaste produced on their sites for recovery.

In 2020, the anti-waste law for a circular economy, known as the AGEC law, which aims to ensure better resource and waste management, set waste reduction targets (particularly for food waste) in France.

It is in this context that the obligation to source-sort biowaste is being progressively extended. Initially, the obligation was extended to producers of more than 5 tonnes of biowaste per year. Ultimately, it will apply to all businesses and individuals without a minimum threshold, effective from 1st January 2024.

Biowaste Source-Sorting Obligation Implementation Schedule

What is biowaste?

Article L. 541-1-1 of the Environmental Code defines biowaste as: « non-hazardous biodegradable garden or park waste, food or kitchen waste from households, offices, restaurants, wholesale trade, canteens, caterers or retail shops, as well as comparable waste from food processing plants ".

This includes biodegradable waste that can be naturally decomposed, such as food waste (meal leftovers, peelings, etc.) and waste from maintenance and gardening activities (lawn clippings, hedge trimmings, dead leaves, etc.).

Implementation of biowaste source separation

In accordance with the waste treatment hierarchy defined in Article L. 541-1 of the Environmental Code, producers must primarily implement measures aimed at reducing biowaste production and, where applicable, combating food waste.

For unavoidable waste, producers must implement and offer solutions for sorting biowaste and find channels for its recovery, promoting recycling.

Various source separation solutions are possible to implement this new obligation:

  • On-site composting, which allows for the on-site recovery of food waste and green waste into compost;
  • Separate collection, which allows for the processing of biowaste to be entrusted to an external private provider or a local authority.
Biowaste treatment and recovery channels already exist, these include:
  • composting (a process of organic matter fermentation used for soil enrichment);
  • methanisation (a process of degrading organic matter to generate biogas, used notably for energy production, and digestate, used for compost production for soil enrichment).

As a biowaste producer, even if you generate a small quantity of this waste, you must ensure that you source-separate your biowaste (e.g., meal leftovers in break rooms or canteens, maintenance of green spaces if not managed by the maintenance provider, etc.).

You can contact local authorities to learn about the collection solutions they have developed. A collection service could thus be considered to facilitate the implementation of this obligation.

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Photo credit: @Joaquin Corbalan