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Issued under the Energy Transition Law for Green Growth, Decree No. 2016-288 of March 10, 2016, supplemented the Environmental Code and introduced a new obligation for waste sorting at source for paper, metals, plastics, glass, and wood.
New Waste Sorting Obligation
Waste belonging to the categories of paper, metal, plastic, glass, and wood must now be sorted at source, separately from other waste. However, they may be kept together as a mixture, provided they are subsequently recovered.
Small producers, meaning those generating less than 1100 liters of such waste per week, are exempt from this obligation. However, if multiple producers/holders at the same site are served by a single waste management provider and collectively generate more than 1100 liters, they then fall within the scope of the decree.
Producers or holders of this waste must collect it separately from other waste to allow for subsequent sorting and recovery.
They must either:
- recover this waste themselves;
- transfer this waste to the operator of a recovery facility;
- transfer this waste to an intermediary engaged in waste collection, transport, trading, or brokerage, for the purpose of its recovery.
In these latter two cases, producers or holders will receive an attestation (paper or electronic) each year, before March 31, from the operators of the recovery facility or intermediaries engaged in waste collection, transport, trading, or brokerage, stating the quantities in tons and the nature of the waste entrusted to them the previous year.
Regarding the sorting of waste office paper, these provisions will come into effect progressively, depending on the number of people present on site.
Thus, sorting will be mandatory according to the following deadlines:
An order dated April 27, 2016, specified the socio-professional categories targeted by the obligation to sort office paper.
These include:
- artisans,
- merchants and similar professions,
- business owners with 10 or more employees,
- self-employed professionals,
- public sector executives,
- professors, scientific professions.
For the purpose of this obligation, office paper waste includes:
- printed paper waste,
- waste from press publications,
- waste from manufactured stationery items,
- waste from envelopes and postal packets,
- waste graphic papers.
Producers or holders who do not process this waste on-site must organize its collection separately from other waste. This ensures subsequent sorting and recovery.
These new regulatory obligations related to the circular economy and waste prevention and management have been complemented by other provisions aimed at combating waste and promoting comprehensive and coherent approaches: from product design to recycling.
For example, the introduction of a waste take-back obligation for certain distributors of construction materials, products, and equipment.
The following distributors are concerned:
- intermediaries in the trade of wood and construction materials,
- wholesale trade of wood, construction materials, and sanitary equipment,
- wholesale trade of hardware and plumbing and heating supplies,
- non-specialized wholesale trade.
Having a distribution unit larger than 400 m². Distributors whose annual turnover exceeds 1 million euros.
These distributors are required to take back waste from the same types of construction materials, products, and equipment, whether these were originally sold at the distribution unit or within a maximum radius of ten kilometers.
If the take-back occurs outside the distribution unit, a visible notice at the distribution unit and on its website (if one exists) must inform waste producers or holders of the address of the waste collection point.
To simplify the management and traceability of your waste, we recommend using a waste management software that will centralize all necessary information, flows, and documents on a single platform.