Fines issued as AI identifies people who do not sort their rubbish correctly Badly-sorted rubbish can cost millions so communes are turning to high-tech solutions
Return to door-to-door home rubbish collection expected for many in France The decision could set a precedent for up to two million people in different areas of France
New logo launches on (some) goods in France to show their durability An updated anti-waste law will score goods on their reparability and reliability, but critics say it does not go far enough
news French mayor goes through dumped rubbish to trace owner - and returns it to them The waste held clues to its original owner
Garden waste disposal is free in Dordogne until November 9 Seven Dordogne déchèteries are offering green waste drops that do not count towards residents’ total
Letters: Bin collection fees have soared in France - for fewer pick-ups Readers say the fees mean putting the rubbish out only once every six weeks
Millions more homes in France to face ‘pay to throw extra’ bin fees Penalties are planned for more households whose bin is collected more than a set number of times per year
Higher fines for drivers who dump rubbish in wild in France Fines can vary from €150 to €1,500 depending on the waste and location
French AI system can see inside bin bags: what is it being used for? The technology uses a camera to detect anomalies, and is already used by 45 communes
French households throw out more rubbish despite ‘incentive’ bin fees Schemes like ‘pay-per-bin’ do not encourage people to reduce general waste, say campaigners
Grass cuttings are no longer accepted at some public tips in France Increasing numbers of public déchetteries are asking you to take care of your cuttings at home
Dordogne residents ready for court battle over ‘incentive’ bin charges The new rubbish collection fees do not convince people to reduce waste but do increase fly tipping, say campaigners
France considers €3 per bin collection charge This could reduce household waste by up to 30%, claims the state environmental agency
Is home composting now mandatory in France? New rules revolving organic waste came into force earlier this year
Rats are not attracted to compost heaps, assures French waste expert The new food waste law means many people are thinking of composting but worry about vermin and smells
French restaurants add €5 to bill if you do not eat all your meal The move aims to raise awareness of the rising cost of food - and the growing issue of food waste
French towns install cameras to detect illegal rubbish dumping AI cameras are being used to catch fly-tippers and as an alternative to cleaning up other people’s mess
Busman’s holiday as binman gathers litter on epic Paris-Marseille walk Social media star Ludovic Franceschet is on an 800-km trek between the two cities to raise awareness about the scourge of dropping rubbish
Where can I safely dispose of my old mobile phone in France? Learn about the various environmentally conscious methods available in France for disposing of your old mobile phone
French homeowners challenge ‘pay per bag’ waste charge Residents are preparing a legal challenge to a new waste collection charge that, they say, penalises the elderly and people with disabilities
Waste collection tax rises: How is your area of France affected? The average increase is 2.2%, but some towns are bringing in rises of more than 40%
All homes in France must have access to food waste bin from next year Each person in France throws away around 30kg of food per year, including 7kg still in its packaging
Project to make wastewater fit for drinking in France The Jourdain project in western France is the first of its kind in Europe, and could provide a solution to future droughts
France allows local authorities to use wastewater after record drought The use of wastewater for civic tasks such as street cleaning or vehicle washing will save precious drinking water
Paris street cleaner is TikTok sensation with a serious message We talk to the social media star about getting kicked out of the army, being homeless and his viral litter videos
Gendarmerie trace woman who dumped pile of items in field in France Officers found her after months of investigation. She was moving home and had been denied access to a tip as had not sorted the items
How to get a déchetterie permit in France with a UK-registered car We look at how second-homeowners can visit their local tip without a ‘carte grise’ for their vehicle - or a hire car
Maggots, protests: Dordogne reacts to ‘pay-as-you-throw’ waste system Parts of south west France are under a new waste management regime allowing a fixed number of visits to collective bins per year, with charges for exceeding that limit
‘Free shops’ to be rolled out in France after successful trial The zero-waste concept is said to be unique in France and run by a waste management union
National parks in France warn visitors to respect flora and fauna A surge in visitors and hikers over the summer has prompted authorities to expand a pictorial campaign aimed at promoting good behaviour in the natural spaces
French mayor collects fly-tipped waste and dumps it at culprits’ house The mayor is latest of several to use radical measures to combat growing litter problems in their communes
Historic Dordogne streets too small for new card-swipe rubbish bins ‘Old town’ areas must pay more for door-to-door collection leading to claims of urban discrimination
French mayor returns 12 bags of rubbish to fly-tipper The mayor’s video of him throwing the bags over the owner’s garden fence has been well-received, in the latest incident of its kind in France
What is the law on burning waste in my French garden? We take a look at the specific rules on garden waste disposal in France
French home waste collection charge on rise - who pays this and how? A survey of local councils found more than three-quarters of respondents were set to put their rates up this year, as rising fuel and energy prices affect services
‘New bins only make recycling in France more difficult’ The Connexion reader shares frustration at waste and recycling bins which are so impractical they may discourage not encourage recycling
New payment scheme to pay for extra black bin bags delayed in Dordogne The introduction of the new process has been criticised for not being accessible to everyone
French court orders €30m waste collection tax refund to residents It means 147,000 households are to receive a refund of around €200 each
Innovative new waste capture device installed in Marseille’s Old Port The system captures rubbish headed for the sea after rainfall and works with objects as small as cigarette butts. It can also measure water quality
French town urges dog owners to clean up pet mess with fake €10 notes The notes have a funny but apt message on the back and aim to reduce the amount of dog mess left in parks and streets
Covid-19 France: Can I use bottle bank? Am I allowed to offload all of my empty jars and bottles at the bottle bank?
‘Waste mafia’ boss jailed over mass illegal rubbish dumping in nature Culprits charged low prices for professional construction waste removal - then dumped it illegally in nature. Some was even given to homes as free garden ‘topsoil’ with anyone who complained threatened
France lockdown: Are déchetteries still open? Rubbish tips were for mainly closed at first during the first lockdown in Spring but not this time...
Can I burn leaves and other waste in my garden in France? It is normally illegal to burn garden waste, but there are some exceptions
Home goods, clothes: How to find best places to recycle in France New ecology ministry website lists sites as well as tips for repairing goods on but comes as new documentary questions whether the country’s recycling plants and tips work properly
Which fruit and veg cannot be sold under plastic in France from 2022? The move is part of a plan by France to eliminate single use plastic by 2040. Currently 1.2 billion plastic containers are used annually for fruit and vegetables
Artist’s huge tap work on show in Paris to highlight plastic waste The Canadian behind the work hopes to make people aware of the issue of single-use plastics in his latest project, which is on displaying for the public for the first time
French architect’s scheme saves building waste from skips Nearly 75% of all waste comes from the construction industry, according to the government environment agency Ademe, a figure that architect Joanne Boachon is hoping to change
French town imposes minimum €1,000 fine for dog mess or littering The mayor of Obernai said ‘enough is enough’ and introduced the minimum fine for anyone caught illegally dumping rubbish, especially dog mess. He has called on other mayors to do the same
Supermarkets in France start selling second-hand goods Supermarkets and hypermarkets in France are to start selling second-hand items, with the Système U group starting last week with sites in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur and Pays de la Loire.
Fight plastic waste: Refill water bottles at French store Shoppers in France can now buy self-service filtered water in bulk, as more consumers are choosing to buy their food using their own reusable containers, in a bid to cut down on plastic packaging and waste.
French motorways: 30% of public admit to littering on roads A third of people in France admit to throwing waste out of car windows while on the motorway, says a new poll, as motorway firm Vinci Autoroutes launches an anti-littering campaign ahead of a busy driving weekend.
New app aims to fight illegal waste dumping in France Residents in France are invited to download and use a new app that aims to combat fly tipping and the illegal dumping of waste in nature and beauty spots.
What to do if your neighbours are burning garden waste In our monthly column Legal Notes, reader questions are answered and explained.
French cheese ‘fine to eat after best before date’ The makers of popular French soft cheese La Vache Qui Rit (The Laughing Cow) are aiming to tackle the problem of food waste by reminding consumers that their product may be fine to eat even after its “best before date” has passed.
French supermarket Leclerc criticised for plastic use French supermarket giant Leclerc has been chastised for its excess use of plastic on a pack of hard-boiled eggs, with a junior minister saying that a new “anti-waste” law would stop such “aberrations” in future.
Waste collection tax in France: how does it work? Can you tell us about the tax that is payable for the collection of household waste? Is it due if our bins are not actually emptied?
Rubbish on Paris streets as treatment centres strike Rubbish is piling up in the streets of Paris as pension strikes continue at incineration centres, causing a backlog of waste, and a “very worrying” amount of rubbish being buried instead of burned.
France gets ‘illegal waste’ sent back from Malaysia France is one of four developed nations set to have its allegedly illegal plastic waste “sent back” on some of the 150 shipping containers ordered by Malaysia this week.
French mayor ‘returns’ 10 tonnes of illegal waste A man in northern France who illegally dumped 10 tonnes of rubbish in a local field has had the items returned by the mayor less than 48 hours later.
French sell-by food app cuts costs You can use free smartphone app Too Good To Go to save money on your shopping bill and fight food waste.
Bordeaux drains painted in cigarette butt waste alert A team of artists in Bordeaux is painting drain grates and manhole covers to raise awareness of how much dropped cigarette butts contribute to river pollution.
Paris aims to be ‘plastic free’ by 2024 Olympic Games The city of Paris is aiming to be “plastic free” by the 2024 Olympic Games, as part of a wider ecological pledge, mayor Anne Hidalgo has said, in a bid to “accelerate the ecological transition” of the capital.
France to ban destroying unsold goods by end of 2023 France will ban firms from destroying unsold consumer goods by 2023.
Waste-free shopping a click away Most of us would like to be more environmentally responsible but need it to be as easy as possible.
Stand up for historic forests or face wasteland Forestry workers have taken to the streets to raise awareness of the “dangerous industrialisation” of woodland.
Restaurants ‘must offer doggy bags’ Restaurants, cafés and bistros across France will be obliged to supply diners with “doggy-bags” if requested from July 2021, under a new law to reduce food waste.
Water prices will rise to pay costs of repairing leaks Water prices are set to rise after the government called on authorities to upgrade and repair networks as “one litre of water in five is lost to leaks”.
Government fights France’s growing fly-tipping problem A government group has been created to tackle the growing issue of fly-tipping in France, which sees people dumping over 80,000 tonnes of excess waste into nature every year.
What are the rules about burning waste in a bonfire? Can you create a bonfire to burn waste in your garden? Do the rules vary from department to department? D.B.
Paris pledges to halve landfill waste by 2030 Paris has joined 22 other cities and regions in pledging to reduce its waste by half by 2030, as part of a global project named “Coalition C40 Cities”.
Restaurants could soon be forced to offer “doggy bags” The government proposals aim to halve commercial food waste, but the plans have attracted some backlash from restaurateurs.
