A Guide to Organic Waste Recycling in France

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 short- term 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.

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.

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.

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.

In our capacity as property managers entrusted with the upkeep of people’s second homes in France, we continuously seek effective solutions that benefit both residents and second-home owners alike. Among the options we’ve explored, one particularly promising innovation is the Bokashi composter, originating from Japan. This system employs an anaerobic fermentation process, facilitated by a specialised bucket and inoculant in the form of a bran, to efficiently decompose kitchen scraps. The bucket must be completely air-tight, as Bokashi is an anaerobic fermentation process, unlike standard aerobic composting. It is important to compress waste as you add it to remove as much air as possible. The bucket also needs a tap at the bottom, as the Bokashi produces a leachate, or ‘compost tea’ which needs to be drained every one to two weeks when in use. The resulting compost tea can be used as fertiliser, compost activator or drain cleaner. can go in, all fruit and vegetable peelings and scraps, cooked food, meat, dairy products, grains, pasta, breads, cakes, egg shells and so on. All composting systems require some level of management, but the Bokashi composter offers a low- maintenance yet effective method for managing organic waste, which we think is ideal for regular or occasional use at second homes.

In contrast to other systems, this one allows you to be a zero- food-waste household as unlike regular garden composting systems, pretty much everything from your kitchen Bokashi buckets and bran, essential components of the system, are widely available for purchase online and in gardening and hardware stores throughout France. For those inclined, it is possible to make them yourself. A well-tended Bokashi smells a bit like apple cider vinegar and may contain a harmless white mould. It should never smell of decomposing rubbish, which makes it suitable for keeping indoors or outside.

Typically, a Bokashi compost bucket can accommodate approximately two weeks’ worth of kitchen waste for an average-sized family. Following a fermentation period of around two weeks, the resulting material is primed for transfer into a regular garden composter, can be turned into a soil factory, or buried directly in the garden to enrich your soil.

For those offering second homes as holiday rentals, providing appropriate composting or disposal facilities for guests is essential. Clear instructions and designated areas for organic waste disposal can encourage compliance and foster environmental responsibility among guests. Furthermore, by embracing sustainable practices such as bio-waste recycling, second-home owners can enhance the appeal of their properties for environmentally conscious visitors or guests. Marketing a property as eco-friendly and socially responsible can attract a wider pool of guests over time.

Whether to implement composting at your second home depends on various factors, including your willingness to manage it and the potential benefits in waste reduction and environmental impact. With low-maintenance options, and guest involvement, embracing this system can be rewarding. By engaging with these changes, holiday-home owners can play a vital role in building a more sustainable future while enjoying their retreats.

TOP TIPS

A bio-waste container in use in Alsace To comply with the new composting rules when renting your home to tourist guests, you can follow these steps.

• Provide composting facilities: Ensure that your rental property has appropriate composting facilities available for guests to use. This might include clearly labelled compost bins or designated areas where organic waste can be composted.
• Educate guests: Provide information and clear instructions on how to separate organic waste from other forms of refuse, as well as what is and what is not permitted in organic waste bins. Consider placing signs or instructional materials to reinforce recycling practices.
• Guest responsibilities: Just as guests are required to leave the property as clean and tidy as they found it, and dispose of any rubbish, you should ensure that there are clear directions, included in the house guide, as to where such disposal facilities are available within the local area.

Carmel O’Connell is a Director at LBV Property Management in France

Tel: 0033 (0)5 62 29 26 62

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