How can homeowners in France adapt to the new era of organic waste recycling? Carmel O’Connell shares her advice
As municipalities across France roll out new rules requiring the recycling of organic waste ‘compost obligatoire’, second-home owners may find themselves facing a bit more of a challenge. Whether you’re using your holiday home as an occasional getaway or managing shortterm tourist rentals, adapting to these requirements is crucial. With the right strategies and resources, embracing the recent shift towards organic waste recycling doesn’t have to be a daunting task. In fact, this change presents an opportunity to contribute positively to the environment while maintaining the charm of second-home retreats.
Here we explore the key provisions of these regulations, the support available from municipalities, and innovative solutions to make compliance manageable and beneficial.
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE REGULATIONS
It is essential that we recognise the environmental impact of landfill waste, particularly organic matter, which contributes to methane and carbon dioxide emissions.
To tackle this issue, France has introduced new regulations in 2024, mandating the separation and recycling of household organic waste.
This legislation is designed to encourage households – including second-home owners – to compost their bio-waste, either through home systems or community initiatives, thereby reducing damaging emissions and landfill volume.
GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES
The government, through local councils, is proposing various options to facilitate organic waste recycling, including separate collection systems with dedicated bins, voluntary drop-off points, and individual composters for residents.
These solutions aim to streamline the process, but to do so effectively, guidelines regarding acceptable materials for composting must be adhered to. Note that these can vary from place to place depending on the management and the volume of waste.
Households are usually advised against depositing certain items such as meat into shared composting as such facilities must comply with departmental health or municipal regulations and undergo regular inspections.
NAVIGATING COMPLIANCE
Many second-home owners might not actively participate in established door-to-door collections for recyclables and non-organic waste simply because they do not visit often enough to know the appropriate bin placement schedule.
Instead, they may resort to using nearby communal bins, but with the new obligation to separate organic waste, access to such bio-waste disposal facilities may not always be straightforward. Some voluntary drop-off points are even located away from other communal bins.
INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS
In our capacity as property managers entru
