Focus on recovery!

Waste: coping with dwindling natural resources

The activities of SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT fit into a context of dwindling energy and mineral resources, as well as growing demand for secondary raw materials. The Group’s waste management businesses have therefore evolved considerably in the last decades. They have switched from mandatory waste removal to an approach focused on recovery and disposal.

Waste regulations are changing accordingly. In Europe, incineration is now treated as energy recovery if the energy efficiency of the incinerators concerned is above a certain threshold, defined at the European level.

Moreover, in France, big producers of biowaste are required to organise separate collection procedures in order to promote its recovery through processes such as composting and methanisation.

Smart waste sorting

The OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) forecasts a 45% increase in waste production by 2020, in comparison with 1995. To limit the impact on the environment, SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT strives to develop technologies and facilities that will enable maximum recovery of the resources present in waste.

The waste – paper, plastics, glass, cardboard, metals, solids, liquids, non-hazardous and hazardous waste – is taken to sorting centres where it is separated according to type, bundled, then transferred to the appropriate recovery facilities

Optimum waste recovery

In keeping its commitment to sustainable development,

SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT strives to promote resource recovery, including materials recovery, energy recovery and composting.

The Group handles 18.5 million metric tonnes of waste per year, of which 13.6 million metric tonnes are recovered.

Depending on its nature, the waste is transformed into:

• secondary raw materials, enabling the manufacture of other products (paper, plastic, rubber, metals, etc.),
• thermal and electrical energy to be used in residential and industrial buildings,
• fertilizer, to improve soil fertility.