France is one of the most committed countries in Europe to recycling and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR).

As far as recycling is concerned, France has set ambitious targets for increasing its waste recycling rates. For example, the aim is to recycle 65% of household waste by 2025 and 100% by 2030.

To achieve these objectives, France has introduced a number of measures, including :

• Extension of sorting instructions: More and more materials can now be recycled, including plastic, metal and glass packaging, as well as paper and cardboard.
• The introduction of selective collection: Selective collection is now compulsory in all municipalities with more than 20,000 inhabitants.
• Developing recycling channels: The government has invested in the development of new recycling channels, notably for electronic waste and textiles.

As far as EPR is concerned, France was one of the first countries to introduce this system. EPR obliges producers to finance the collection, sorting, recycling and disposal of their products once they become waste.

This system has made it possible to finance the creation of numerous recycling channels, and has helped to increase recycling rates in France.

Here are just a few examples of the results of France's investment in recycling and EPR :

• France's household waste recycling rate is one of the highest in Europe. In 2021, France's household waste recycling rate was 65%, compared with an EU average of 42%.
• France is one of Europe's largest producers of recycled plastic granules. In 2021, France produced 1.2 million tonnes of recycled plastic granules, or 10% of the European Union's total production.
• The EPR website has created thousands of jobs in France. In 2021, the recycling sector in France employed over 100,000 people.

France's investment in recycling and EPR has made the country a leader in this field. France is a model for other countries wishing to reduce their waste and develop a circular economy.

However, there's still a long way to go.

For example, we need to continue improving recycling rates, particularly for plastic and textile waste. It is also necessary to develop new recycling technologies to enable more materials to be recycled.

Despite these challenges, France is determined to pursue its recycling efforts and EPR. The country is convinced that these efforts are essential to protect the environment and build a more sustainable economy.

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