Summary

In 2020, the waste management market in France showed relatively stable trends, marked by a slight drop in sales, down 1.2%, heavily influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic that led to the closure of waste collection and sorting centers. Despite this dip, the market grew overall over the decade thanks to the introduction of strict regulations and the push for the circular economy. The construction sector remains the main generator of waste, contributing almost 70% of the waste produced in the country. The introduction of the AGEC law in 2020 and the introduction of an EPR (extended producer responsibility) channel for construction waste from 2022 illustrate regulatory efforts to propel the sector towards sustainability and efficient waste management. In addition, the waste management market shows a diversification of services offered, from collection and transportation to treatment, reuse and energy recovery, with a notable increase in energy recovery of almost 60%.

evolution and Commitment: France's Waste Management Market

French industry relies heavily on recycled waste as a resource, particularly in the paper, glass and metal industries, although fluctuations in global raw material prices present both opportunities and challenges for the recycling sector.Trends in demand for waste management in France: A focus on sustainability and regulation In recent years, France has seen a considerable shift in demand for waste management services. Despite fluctuations in waste production, the general trend is towards a growing awareness of environmental sustainability and the corresponding impact of regulatory measures.

In France, waste production has increased at a moderate average annual rate of around 1.1%. However, there was a notable peak in waste production, with around 355 million tonnes of waste, corresponding to the application of the 2010 directive on industrial emissions and waste management, which aims to strengthen environmental protection. Despite the levelling-off of waste volumes, the French waste management market has seen a gradual increase in sales. Over a decade, the market has seen a 20% increase in sales, averaging around 1.8% per year.

Sales for waste management activities in 2020 will be around €24.8 billion, demonstrating the market's resilience and potential for incremental growth, even if sales rates have shown a slight decline in subsequent years. The construction sector in particular accounts for the lion's share of waste production in France, with almost 70% of total waste production, clearly eclipsing waste produced by economic activities and households, which represent around 21% and 9% respectively. This dominant position of the construction sector in waste production is in line with national waste production trends, and has been the subject of regulatory influences aimed at reducing waste and encouraging recycling.

The French market demonstrates a strong commitment to recycling and waste recovery. The proportion of waste recycled and recovered for electricity production is on the rise, with 66% of waste recycled and 6% of waste reused for electricity production. This move towards recycling and energy recovery reflects a respectful attitude towards the environment and the country's determination to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels.dependence on landfill, which now accounts for just 28% of waste treatment methods. France's waste management industry has seen a marked expansion in both business and employment opportunities. The sector has seen stable average annual growth of 2% in the number of waste management companies and 1.5% in employment. This upsurge in businesses is aligned with stricter pollution and waste management legislation, driving industry growth to comply with evolving environmental standards. In terms of expenditure, waste management has become a major financial commitment for the country. National spending on waste management amounted to 1.5 billion euros.

The pioneers and innovators of waste management in France

France's waste management landscape is dotted with companies of varying sizes and specialties, each playing a crucial role in the efficient treatment of waste. Among these companies are some of the key players who have etched their names in the annals of waste management:

  • Tiru Group: A subsidiary of EDF, Tiru is a heavyweight in the waste management sector, particularly known for its expertise in energy recovery. By focusing on the transformation of waste into a valuable energy resource, Tiru has helped encourage the production of electricity from waste combustion, thus contributing to both environmental sustainability and energy independence.
  • Derichebourg: France's leading metal recycler, Derichebourg is at the forefront of processing and transforming scrap metal into reusable resources. The company's extensive network and sophisticated sorting technologies ensure that precious metals are recovered and reintroduced into the manufacturing cycle, supporting the circular economy.
  • Recylex: Specializing in zinc, lead and plastic recycling, Recylex plays a key role in unlocking the material value of various forms of waste. Thanks to its advanced recycling processes, Recylex contributes to reducing environmental pollution and preserving natural resources.
  • Valobat: With the forthcoming introduction of extended producer responsibility (EPR) for construction waste, the new Valobat eco-organization promises to revolutionize waste management in the construction sector. The fruit of collaboration between the sector's key players, Valobat aims to facilitate the sorting, collection and recycling of waste, which could help stem the problem of illegal landfills and promote the circular economy within one of France's most waste-generating industries.
  • Too Good To Go: Breaking with traditional waste management concepts, Too Good To Go is a startup that stands out by promoting waste reduction through its innovative application platform. The company's unique approach to minimizing food waste by connecting consumers and businesses with surplus food underlines emerging trends in the waste management market, where technology and societal commitment are playing an increasingly important role.
  • Paprec Groupe has become one of the key players in recycling in France.

These key players in waste management demonstrate the many facets of the sector, from conventional recycling and energy recovery to cutting-edge technological solutions aimed at reducing waste. Their combined efforts contribute to more efficient and sustainable management of France's growing waste challenges, reflecting a robust market that innovates and adapts to changing environmental and economic needs.

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  • Last update : 14/03/2023
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Summary and extracts

1 Market overview

1.1 Market definition and scope

Waste management covers all operations relating to waste generated by human activity. It involves the collection, transportation, treatment, reuse, disposal or storage of waste. It has a scientific name: rudology, which can be defined as the systematic study of waste.

The latest World Bank report estimates global waste production at 2.01 billion tonnes. There are, however, major disparities in the origin of this waste, with its production not proportional to the population of the world's different regions, bearing witness to certain inequalities. In 2018, only 13.5% of this waste was recycled, and much of it was dumped wildly in nature and the oceans, demonstrating the need for waste management on a global scale. In 2023, these findings are still true: the World Bank has not issued a new report on global waste production, but the COVID-19 crisis has turned global waste production upside down.

In 2023, in Europe, France is the 2ᵉ country producing the most waste, behind Germany. The management of these millions of tons of waste generates billions of euros in sales, growing by 11.2% for the European Union and 21% for France between 2016 and 2018. France, however, saw a 1.2% drop in sales between 2019 and 2020, heavily impacted by the closure of 95% of its drop-off centers and 60% of its sorting centers during the March 2020 containment period.

Current trends in waste sorting and reduction, reinforced by legal incentives such as the 2020 AGEC law, could modify business, by reducing the annual volume of waste, which could have a negative impact on sales.however, the know-how required to deal with new types of waste, such as WEEE, and the increasing scarcity of raw materials will tend to increase the value of each individual.

1.2 Waste management worldwide: major inequalities in the face of a global challenge

Global production:

The World Bank's **** What a waste *. * report highlights the problems associated with waste management on a global scale. Ocean pollution, poor regions submerged in litter, many are the problems caused by poor waste management. This World Bank report is still the latest update of the World Bank's figures on ...

1.3 A relatively stable but growing French market

Here's how the amount of waste generated in France has changed in recent years.

Waste generated France, **** - ****, in millions of tonnes Source: ****

Between **** and ****, the quantity of waste generated in France did not change significantly, increasing by **.*% in ** years, representing average annual growth of *.*%. A change in trend was observed ...

1.4 Foreign trade

The Pôle national des transferts transfrontaliers de déchets (***), batteries, etc., which explains why some countries export waste to France. Waste treatment costs can vary from country to country, which also explains the existence of these waste transfers.

Non-hazardous waste imports by country ****, France, in millions of tons Source: ****

In ...

1.5 Impact covid: difficulties for local authorities and industries but a growing awareness among the French

Waste management has been a topic of concern with the health crisis. During the March **** containment, **-**% of the *,*** public waste collection centers and around **% of sorting centers were closed, according to estimates by local government association Amorce.

The Ministry of Ecological Transition wanted to "maintain separate collection (***) from households for ...

2 Demand analysis

2.1 Typology of waste producers

Waste production in France can be ranked as follows:

Waste generated by activity France, ****, in millions of tons Source: ****

In ****, construction accounted for almost **% of France's waste production, **% for economic activities outside the building and public works sector, and households accounted for "only" *% of French waste.

2.2 Construction drives national production

Here's the evolution of the quantity of waste produced by the construction sector.

Evolution of the quantity of waste produced by the construction sector France, ****-****, in millions of tonnes Source: ****

The quantity of waste produced by construction and the total quantity of waste produced in France follow the same trends ...

2.3 Business activities

Trends in waste production by economic activities France, **** - ****, in millions of tonnes Source: ****

Waste production by economic activities, excluding construction and public works, has not increased much in ** years, growing by **% between **** and ****.

Breakdown of waste from economic activities France, ****, in millions of tons Source: ****

In ****, waste from economic activities ...

2.4 A downward trend for households

Decreasing consumption:

In recent years, there has been a downward trend in household waste production, the result of awareness-raising policies and growing environmental awareness.

Trends in manages consumption France, **** - ****, in kilograms per capita Source: ****

Here we represent the quantity of household and similar waste per capita. It does not take ...

3 Market structure

3.1 Waste classification

Waste is defined at European level as "any substance or object which the holder discards or intends or is required to discard", and therefore has a legal status.

There are different classifications of waste:

Source: ****

Waste producers:

Household waste management is the responsibility of local authorities, as part of the "public ...

3.2 Typology of waste management services

Market share by type of waste management France, ****, in percent Source: ****

In ****, waste management, collection, sorted waste recovery and waste treatment/disposal shared the market almost equally, with collection occupying a more important place. Pollution control and other management services account for just *.*% of market share.

The NAF codes used to ...

3.3 Players of all kinds

The companies:Here is a ranking, carried out by BMFVERIF, of the ** companies with the highest sales in the waste collection, treatment and disposal sector, as well as the recovery of sorted waste:

GUY DAUPHIN ENVIRONNEMENT PAPREC FRANCE ECOSYSTEM SUEZ RV NORD EST COLLECTE VALORISATION ENERGIE DECHETS-COVED REVIVAL (***) ESKA (***) SUEZ RV ...

4 Offer analysis

4.1 Despite a drop in waste production, expenses are rising

National spending on waste management will amount to €**.** billion in ****, up **% on ****. It is broken down into two distinct components: current expenditure (***).

trends in current expenditure on waste management France, ****-****, in millions of euros Source: ****

In ****, half of current expenditure was financed by businesses (***). Businesses' share of current expenditure is ...

4.2 Increasing waste recovery

Waste disposal in France ****, France, % Source: ****

According to the Ademe (***) **** report, in France in ****, **% of waste was recycled and *% was recovered for electricity. Both outlets have seen growth. Energy recovery increased by almost **%, even though it was still not widely used in ****. conversely, while disposal still accounted for **% of the waste ...

4.3 Companies offer a wide range of services

Waste management is a very specific sector of activity. It is involved in the final stage of a product's life cycle. It is therefore necessary not to offer a product in particular, but a service. This is why waste management takes place at several levels and includes several stages:

Collection : the ...

4.4 Eco-design, an unavoidable practice

Eco-design is based on * points[***] :

Inclusion from the outset of all internal and external players concerned by the product Integrate consumer use Think in terms of the entire packaging system, to avoid any transfer of impact Optimize packaging weight and/or volume for a defined product use value Optimize the use ...

5 Regulations

5.1 Regulations: practice, with the help of your EPR

There are numerous regulations governing waste management, and it's important to keep abreast of them, as changes can occur at any time.

Identifying your EPR:

discussed in section *.*, what is EPR? Economic players (***). This means that these players are responsible for the entire life cycle of the products they put on ...

5.2 Numerous regulations in force to have a lasting impact on the market

Waste management companies must comply with strict regulations.

The French Environment Code, article L***-* : "Any producer or holder of waste is required to manage it or have it managed, in accordance with the provisions [***]" "Any producer or holder of waste is responsible for the management of this waste up to ...

5.3 Tightening regulations to the industry's advantage?

Regulatory forecasts appear to be positive for the waste management industry: the stricter the regulations, the higher the price paid to the collection or treatment operator, as the required skills and investments are high.

However, the French Energy Transition Act is sending mixed signals to the industry:

The widespread introduction of ...

6 Positioning the players

6.1 Segmentation

  • Guy Dauphin Environnement (GDE Ecore)
  • Séché Environnement
  • Coved (Paprec)
  • Paprec Groupe
  • Pizzorno Groupe
  • Sepur
  • Recylex Groupe
  • CARBIOS
  • Suez Groupe
  • Waste Market place
  • Derichebourg Groupe
  • Véolia Groupe
  • Veolia Propreté (Groupe Veolia)
  • Vanheede Environment Group
  • Guyot Environnement
  • Brangeon Groupe
  • Aktid
  • Neolithe

List of charts

  • Trends in waste quantities
  • Share of waste generated
  • Share of waste production and population
  • Per capita waste production
  • Estimated trend in waste production
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Latest news

Waste: Paprec pushes ahead in Switzerland - 15/01/2024
  • Paprec was founded in 1994 Paprec has been active in Switzerland for 13 years.
  • Paprec has acquired 40% of the capital of Helvetia Environnement, the local leader in its sector in Switzerland.
  • Two investment funds hold respectively 40% and 20% of Helvetia Environnement's capital.
  • Paprec Switzerland generates sales of €50 million from six sites.
  • Helvetia Environnement generates sales of 130 million euros with 22 operating centers.
  • Paprec invests 400 million euros annually in its production facilities.
  • Paprec recently completed its fifth round of financing, welcoming Vauban Infrastructure Partners and Crédit Agricole as new shareholders.
  • Thirty years after its creation, Paprec has achieved sales of 3 billion euros.
Veolia's plan for growth in energy - 13/01/2024
  • The group already generates a quarter of its sales (just over 10 billion out of almost 43 billion euros in 2022) from the operation of heating networks, the recovery of energy from waste and wastewater, and energy-related services.
  • The Group, which has positioned itself in the field of "decarbonizing local energy", estimates that it will be worth 500 billion euros in Europe by 2030
  • Services related to energy efficiency in buildings and industry could represent a market worth 200 billion euros by 2030
  • Green energy supply and heating/cooling networks could be worth 150 billion euros by 2030.
  • The operation of heating networks is Veolia's main energy business (revenues of 5.9 billion euros in 2022),
  • Veolia operates more than 500 networks.
Environment: Séché presents its new battle plan - 13/12/2023
  • The Group is to increase its sales to 1.2 billion euros by 2026, compared with an expected figure of between 990 and 1,000 million for 2023
  • International sales are to increase from around 27% to 32% of total revenues.
  • Takeover of Furia, a Northern Italian company specializing in the management of hazardous and non-hazardous industrial waste
  • Mecomer, an expert in the management of solid and liquid hazardous waste, was acquired in 2019.
  • In Southern Africa , acquisition of Rent-A-Drum, Namibia's leading waste management company
  • South Africa is one of Séché's top two foreign markets, alongside Italy.
  • The Group has recently strengthened its positions in Chile and Peru
  • The Water division generated sales of 100 million euros in France. The domestic market will account for 1.8 billion euros in sales by 2021, with subcontracting accounting for some 275 million euros
  • expanded offering in rare metals recycling
Derichebourg penalized by the price of recycled metals and its arrival at Elior - 08/12/2023
  • The environmental services group has contributed its multiservices division to the Elior catering group
  • For fiscal year 2022-2023) Derichebourg reports sales of 3.62 billion, down 16.7%, and net income, group share of137 million
  • Deterioration in the scrap metal and non-ferrous metal recycling market, where Derichebourg is the French leader.
Neolithe raises €60 million for its fossilizers - 06/12/2023
  • Néolithe recently raised €60 million; last year, the company raised €20 million.
  • It was founded in 2019. The company has installed a machine capable of processing over 10,000 tons of waste a year.
  • It plans to upgrade to treatment units ten times larger, capable of processing around 100,000 tons a year.
  • The company has almost 200 employees.
  • The company focuses on the development of processes for the treatment of residual household waste.
  • Néolithe products are certified for non-structural concrete.
Neolithe transforms waste into building materials - 06/12/2023
  • Néolithe has raised 60 million euros from private and bank investors, including Crédit Mutuel Impact, Otium Capital, Tivoli Capital Investment and RGreen Invest.
  • In four years, Néolithe has raised a total of 83 million euros.
  • The start-up tackles the recycling of non-recyclable waste, which is usually landfilled or incinerated, generating greenhouse gas emissions.
  • Using accelerated fossilization to treat all the waste generated in France each year could reduce the country's carbon footprint by 7%, all industries combined.
  • Each "fossilizer" plant deployed by Néolithe should be capable of processing 10,000 tonnes of waste per year.
  • The main challenge for Néolithe and similar companies is the collection of this waste.

Companies quoted in this study

This study contains a complete overview of the companies in the market, with the latest figures and news for each company. :

Guy Dauphin Environnement (GDE Ecore)
Séché Environnement
Coved (Paprec)
Paprec Groupe
Pizzorno Groupe
Sepur
Recylex Groupe
CARBIOS
Suez Groupe
Waste Market place
Derichebourg Groupe
Véolia Groupe

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