The 3Rs: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle (‘Réduire, Réutiliser, Recycler’) in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France

12/2/20233 min read

a close up of many different colored caps
a close up of many different colored caps

The 3R approach of the Région of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France, can be considered to commence from the design stage, to consumption, to extending product lifespans; specifically (AREC 2017):-

  • Reduction at source is sought at the manufacture, transport, and distribution stage;

  • Reuse and redeployment is considered the final stage of responsible consumption;

  • With recycling as a core component of waste management

The execution of the 3Rs in France and in Nouvelle-Aquitaine could generally be considered a success to Date. There was a 11% decline in the Région of household and similar waste between 2010 and 2015, as well as between a 36% reduction in residual household waste (AREC 2017). France’s recycling rate as of 2020 stood at 42.7% (EEA 2022) representing the 11th highest recycling rate in the EU (EEA 2023).

The 3R concept has been entrenched in French and European Union (“EU”) law as early as 1992. Below is a snapshot of a number of key legislative instruments encapsulating the 3Rs:-

    1) In France, the reduction of waste generation was one of the key objectives of the 1992 law on waste disposal and classified facilities for the protection of the environment (‘Loi n°92-646 du 13 juillet 1992 relative à l'élimination des déchets ainsi qu'aux installations classées pour la protection de l'environnement’) (EEA 2022).

    2) Pursuant to Waste Framework Directive 2008/98/EC (as amended by Directive (EU) 2018/851), by 2025, European Union member states were to work toward recycling and preparing for reuse 55 % of municipal waste generated (EEA 2022).

  3) 2009 witnessed the promulgation of the first Grenelle law (formally, the law on programming relating to the implementation of the Grenelle Environment Forum (‘Loi n° 2009-967 du 3 août 2009 de programmation relative à la mise en œuvre du Grenelle de l'environnement (1)’)), which aimed at inter alia reducing the generation of household and similar waste by 2014, reducing waste sent to landfill or incineration by 2012, and the imposition of economic instruments by 2014. (EEA 2022).

   4) Amongst the various goals embedded within the 2020 law on the fight against waste and the circular economy (‘loi n° 2020-105 du 10 février 2020 relative à la lutte contre le gaspillage et à l'économie circulaire’) (the “AGEC Law”), including improved efficiency in waste sorting and the phasing out of single-use plastics, the AGEC Law actualizes the 3R approach in the areas of packing and eco-modulation (EEA 2022). This is achieved by, amongst others (EEA 2022):-

      a) requiring producer responsibility organisations to contribute to national recycling targets for plastic beverage bottles; and

   b) levying penalties or applying bonuses to producers in accordance with the recyclability and eco-design utility of their packaging .

 5) In 2020, France adopted its Strategy on the Recyclability, Recycling and Reincorporation of materials (‘La stratégie « Recyclabilité, recyclage et réincorporation des matériaux »’) with, amongst others, the following goals (MTECT & MTE 2022):-

      a) Building industry capacity for the production of recycled and recyclable materials, and for the recycling of metals deployed for low-carbon technologies;

      b) Increasing the volume of textiles recycled;

    c) Reducing paper and cardboard materials requiring recycling by enhancing their reutilisation into new products;

      d) Establishing a national recycling sector and assisting the composite plastics sector; and

      e) Facilitating public and partnership research in the 3R space.

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