Three quarters of commercial waste separated

In 2016, commercial establishments with 20 employees or more (excluding the motor trade) generated 4.5 million tonnes of non-hazardous non-mineral waste, two thirds of which came from retail businesses, in particular supermarkets and hypermarkets. Three quarters of waste is separated or collected selectively, mostly packaging waste. More than two thirds of separated waste is directly recycled or recovered.

The volume of waste generated by commercial establishments increased by 6% between 2012 and 2016, alongside the increase in sales volumes. Waste volumes increased by 15% in the retail sector, while the wholesale sector saw a reduction of 9%.

21% of the waste was generated in the Île-de-France region.

In 2016, waste management was still firstly a pressing environmental concern for more than half of commercial establishments.