Biowaste accounts for almost a third of the contents of French people's residual waste garbage cans, i.e. 30% of unsorted waste. Under the French anti-waste law for a circular economy, all restaurants will soon be required to reduce, sort and recycle their biowaste. In particular, the law calls for all restaurant operators to have a practical solution for sorting their biowaste at source by January 1, 2024.
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Biowaste Act 2023: sorting of biowaste already in force for major foodservice operators
For several years now, the public authorities have been aware of the problem of waste management, and have introduced theobligation to sort and recycle biowaste for companies producing more than five tonnes of biowaste per year. In fact, waste sorting has already been in force since January 1, 2012, for companies that produce or hold a significant quantity of bio-waste (green space companies, supermarkets, food processing industries, canteens and restaurants, markets, etc.).Â
With the anti-waste law for a circular economy, enacted on February 10, 2020, companies and local authorities whose annual production exceeds 10 tons or 60 liters for oils are obliged to sort their bio-waste and have it recovered in suitable channels. The volume was lowered to 5 tonnes on January 1, 2023, until this minimum is abolished and aligned for all households from January 1, 2024.
The Biowaste Act aims to regulate the management of organic waste in order to reduce its environmental impact and promote the development of a more sustainable circular economy. The aim is to reduce the production of greenhouse gases by recovering bio-waste, mainly made up of peelings, kitchen products and meal leftovers, in the form of compost or fuel (methanization), instead of burying or burning it.
đź’ˇ Biowaste: what exactly is it?
‍Les biowaste is organic waste of plant or animal origin, from kitchens, restaurants, markets, gardens, parks, etc. It can include food scraps, peelings, gardening waste, etc. When sorted at source, bio-waste can be fully valorized through composting or methanization, allowing the organic matter to be returned to the soil.Â
👉 To find out more: What does the anti-waste law say?Â
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Changes in the law: all restaurants required to sort bio-waste by 2024
From January 1, 2024, all private individuals will have to sort their biodegradable waste (waste naturally degradable by living micro-organisms) and separate it from other waste: glass, packaging or the rest of the undifferentiated garbage can, according toarticle L541-21-1 of the Environment Code.
This means that all households will have to be able to sort their biodegradable waste. The local authorities responsible for implementing this provision will have to offer them means of sorting at source, such as separate bins collected by skip trucks, the provision of individual "bio-bucket" composters, or collective composters (for a building, a street, a neighborhood), worm composters, individual garbage cans or collective containers, and so on.Â
There are many ways of sorting waste at source, depending on the situation in each commune (urban, rural, etc.) and the households concerned (apartments, detached houses, etc.).Â
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The 2024 biowaste law for the foodservice industry
From January 1, 2024, this obligation will therefore apply to all producers or holders of biowaste, including local authorities as part of their public waste management services, and catering establishments that generate biowaste.
By December 31, 2023, all catering establishments must set up separate waste collection systems, adapted to the different activities carried out in these establishments and, where relevant, accessible to staff, to enable sorting at source.
According toarticle L. 123-1 of the French Construction and Housing Code, restaurant operators must provide the public with separate collection systems for household packaging waste (plastic, steel, aluminum, paper or cardboard), on the one hand, and bio-waste, on the other. This means that dedicated bins for bio-waste must be set up in the dining room and kitchens, separate from other waste.
Restaurant owners can benefit from technical and financial support to implement biowaste management. Assistance or training can be offered to restaurant staff to facilitate the transition to more sustainable practices.
👉 Further information: The trend towards organic and local foodservices
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How do you sort bio-waste?
As part of the fight against food waste and for the circular economy, reducing waste at source must be a priority, before implementing sorting and recovery actions. Here are 5 easy solutions for implementing biowaste sorting in your restaurant.Â
👉 Going further: 8 tips to avoid food waste in restaurants
1. Sorting food waste during productionÂ
- Catering room: sorting tables
- In kitchens or central kitchens: non-manually-operated garbage cans, Bioseaux (with or without bags), shredders, deconditioners...
- For storage prior to collection: large wheeled bins, pallet boxes, skips, compactors... Depending on the volumes produced.
2. Provide storage space on your premises
Set up the necessary space on your premises to store waste in the various bins / dustbins / containers...
3. On-site composting
On-site composting allows you to recycle food waste by transforming it into compost that can be used on site. The most common types are in-vessel and in-cabin composting.
4. Separate collection
Separate collection of bio-waste produced can be implemented, with external service providers providing recovery in approved units (composting platforms or methanization units).
5. Digitizing the kitchen
Digitizing the kitchen helps to limit food waste while optimizing stock management. Thanks to dashboards, you can easily track user food trends, reduce waste, avoid stock-outs and anticipate future orders.
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Did you like these tips? Don't hesitate to consult our other articles on our blog to help you develop your business!
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