THEME

Economic Instruments - Other

Packaging Waste Collection and Recycling - Brief Summary (France)

Packaging Waste Collection and Recycling, France
Design
Producers and importers of consumer goods have to contribute to or be engaged in the recovery of 75% of packaging wastes by the end of 2002 (OECD, pp18)
Eco-Emballages is a private company created to recover packaging waste; producers and importers pay a fee to Eco-emballages dependent on their type of packaging, and are then able to display the Green Point logo whilst Eco-emballages ‘will commit itself to design and set up the system for reprocessing packaging waste,' (OECD, pp18)
‘it is important to point out that Eco-emballages will form an essential bridge between local authorities and the packaging material recycler, because it will guarantee a sufficient flow of material to make the process efficient,' (OECD, pp18)
On 1 January, 2005 the French government renewed contracts with Eco-emballage and Adelphe, the two companies responsible for the collection and recycling of household waste in France. Based on a 1992 decree the companies charge industries involved in production and packaging of consumer products, distributing the proceeds to local councils to support recycling schemes. By 2008 these budgets will reach euro500m, which should result in recycling of 3.2m tonnes, or over 25%, of household waste. In 2004 almost the entire French population was served by local waste collection for recycling (www.ecologie/gouv/fr, 2005)

References
‘Applying Economic Instruments to Packaging Waste: Practical Issues for Product Charges and Deposit Refund Systems,' OECD (OECD/GD(93)194)
http://www.ecologie.gouv.fr/article.php3?id_article=3377
http://www.oecd.org/env/online-eco.htm

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