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One question, one answer, one source. The questions asked by businesses, site managers and local authorities, with the text or data the answer comes from and the date it was checked.

Regulation

RegulationWhat are the waste-sorting obligations for businesses (5, 6, 7 or 8 streams)?

Every business that produces or holds waste must sort it at source. In general, the streams concerned are paper, metals, plastics, glass, wood…

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RegulationWhat sorting obligations for an ERP or a shopping centre?

A business that operates a public-access building (ERP) and produces more than 1,100 litres of waste per week must also organise separate collection of the…

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RegulationIs biowaste sorting compulsory for businesses?

Yes. Since 1 January 2024, source separation of biowaste has applied to all producers, businesses included, with no minimum threshold (article L. 541-21-1 of the…

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RegulationWhat colours for recycling bins in France?

The reference colours recommended nationally are: yellow for packaging (and often paper), green for glass, brown for biowaste, grey or black for the…

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RegulationWhat are the penalties for not sorting waste in a business?

Article L. 541-3 of the French Environmental Code allows the authorities to give the business formal notice, then impose a daily penalty of up to €1,500 and an administrative fine…

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RegulationIs textile sorting mandatory for businesses?

Yes. Since 1 January 2025, textiles have been among the waste every business must sort at source, alongside paper, metals, plastics, glass, wood and biowaste. This…

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RegulationWill recycling bins have to carry harmonised European labels?

Yes. Article 13 of the European packaging regulation (EU) 2025/40 (PPWR) requires all collection containers for packaging waste to carry, visibly, legibly and indelibly…

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RegulationIs office paper sorting compulsory?

Yes, for any site with more than 20 people that produces or holds paper waste: articles D. 543-285 to D. 543-287 of the French Environmental Code require office paper to be…

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RegulationHow can I prove that my company complies with waste sorting requirements?

Through the annual recovery certificate: each year before 31 March, the collection, transport, trading or brokerage provider, or the operator of the final treatment facility…

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RegulationRecycling: what are all the obligations in force in 2026?

In 2026, a business must sort paper, metals, plastics, glass, wood, textiles and biowaste at source (plus mineral fractions and plaster in construction), sort office paper…

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RegulationWhat does the 2027 EPR scheme for commercial packaging (EPRO) change for sorting in businesses?

From 1 January 2027, all commercial packaging falls under an EPR (extended producer responsibility) scheme: every producer concerned must have joined a producer…

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Prices and budget

Prices and budgetWhat is the price of a professional 3-stream recycling station?

In September 2026, a professional 3-stream sorting station has a median price of €979 excl. VAT on the French market (from €379 to €4,781 excl. VAT, 21 offers recorded by the PoubelleTri Index). The price…

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Prices and budgetWhat is the price of a professional 1-stream recycling bin?

In September 2026, a professional 1-stream recycling bin has a median price of €279 excl. VAT on the French market (44 offers from €37 to €1,199 excl. VAT, PoubelleTri Index, at least 30 L). Volume…

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Prices and budgetWhat is the price of a professional 2-stream sorting station?

In September 2026, a professional 2-stream sorting station has a median price of €635 excl. VAT on the French market (29 offers from €150 to €3,450 excl. VAT, PoubelleTri Index). At 30 to 60 L per stream,…

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Prices and budgetDoes an outdoor recycling bin cost more than an indoor one?

Not systematically. On the French market in September 2026 (PoubelleTri Index), the median price of a 3-stream station is €1,052 excl. VAT indoors (6 offers) and €1,017 excl. VAT…

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Prices and budgetWhat is the price per litre of a professional recycling bin?

In September 2026, the median price of a professional recycling bin is €4.84 excl. VAT per litre of capacity on the French market (PoubelleTri Index, 102 offers of at least 30 L per…

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Prices and budgetWhat budget should a business plan to equip itself with recycling bins?

Budget = number of stations × price per station. At median French market prices in September 2026 (PoubelleTri Index), a 2-stream station costs €635 excl. VAT and a 3-stream station €979…

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