France, Paris, and the History and Progress of Waste Management Business - December 2020

France, Paris, and the History and Progress of Waste Management Business - December 2020

**The Beginning in the 1990s: Growing Environmental Awareness and Establishing Foundations**
In 1997, a waste management company emerged in France, becoming the third largest globally. This company had the capacity to process approximately 5 million tons of waste annually and introduced recycling technology focused on urban areas. Particularly, waste-to-energy technology garnered attention, with a facility in the suburbs of Paris supplying electricity to about 50,000 households annually.

**The 2000s: International Expansion and Deepening Recycling Efforts**
During the 2000s, Veolia and Suez led France's waste management business into global expansion. Infrastructure capable of processing over 10 million tons of waste annually was established in African and Asian cities. Domestically, a waste-to-energy facility in the suburbs of Paris processed 800,000 tons of waste annually, supplying electricity to 600,000 households. Additionally, national policies aimed to increase recycling rates to 50%, advancing the reuse of plastics and glass.

**The 2010s: Digitalization and Sustainable Technology Innovations**
In the 2010s, IoT and AI technologies became widespread in waste management. In Bordeaux, the introduction of sensor-equipped smart bins improved collection efficiency by 10%. Waste-to-energy facilities in Casablanca, Morocco, and Southeast Asia began operations, processing between 350,000 and 500,000 tons annually. Domestically, a recycling facility near Lyon processed 45,000 tons of plastic waste annually, contributing to a national recycling rate of 55%. Additionally, hazardous waste facilities processed 200,000 tons of chemical waste annually.

**The 2020s: Integration and Further Progress**
In the 2020s, Veolia and Suez merged, forming a global waste management giant with annual revenues of 37 billion euros and a processing capacity exceeding 50 million tons. In the suburbs of Paris, the latest waste-to-energy facility processed 800,000 tons of waste annually while reducing CO2 emissions by 50%. Recycling rates for aluminum and glass in Lyon exceeded 85%, and IoT-based waste management was implemented across Paris.

**Summary**
France's waste management business has evolved since the 1990s, progressing through global expansion, digitalization, and sustainable technological innovations. By the 2020s, integration and technological advancements positioned it as a model for reducing environmental burdens while fostering economic growth.