82% of ordinary waste separated in the manufacturing sector

In 2016, manufacturing establishment with 10 employees or more generated 14 million tonnes of non-hazardous waste excluding minerals and sludge (e.g. metals, wood, paper, cardboard). This is mainly ordinary waste (11 million tonnes), of which two thirds were generated by four economic activities: manufacture of basic metals, manufacture of paper and paper products and printing, manufacture of wood and products of wood and cork and agri-food establishments. 82% of all ordinary waste was sorted.

Between 2012 and 2016, manufacturing production increased by 0.8% and generated an additional 2.2% in ordinary waste. The recovery rate for ordinary waste fell from 90% to 77% over the same period.

The Grand Est region produced more than a fifth of all ordinary waste, due to the concentration of manufacturing in the region, which also recorded the highest waste recovery rate (82%).

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