Towards a Circular Economy in the Provence-Alpes-Cote dAzur Region

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

BACKGROUND

The Provence-Alpes-Cte d'Azur (PACA) region faces many challenges in terms of waste management. Its inhabitants produce more household waste than the national average (i.e. 457 kg/inhabitant in 2014, compared with 344 kg/inhabitant in France) and waste reduction momentum has yet to kick in. For instance, with 400 kg of household waste/inhabitant/year directly sent to landfill or incineration, PACA is the second poorest performing region in France (after Corsica) in terms of reuse and recycling.

The region has a low rate of sorted recycling collection and a heavy reliance on landfill facilities, which has slowed the emergence of waste recycling centres. The PACA region analysed the reasons for this and discovered that departmental councils that previously oversaw waste planning (2005-2015) have decreased their efforts since regions took over, and that state control of equipment for waste management was insufficient, partly explaining the high number of illegal waste landfills. Furthermore, awareness of the negative environmental impacts of inadequate waste management was also considered insufficient. The negative impacts of waste management are increased by intense pressure from demographic growth and tourism.

OBJECTIVES

The overall objectives of LIFE IP Smart Waste PACA are twofold: firstly, the project aims to fully implement the departmental waste plans in compliance with the Waste Framework Directive; and secondly, the project aims to implement the regional waste management plan for the PACA region.

Based on the assessment of the waste situation and difficulties, the project partnership has also defined a common ambition: i.e. to make a region-wide switch in the waste prevention and management sector to an innovative, sustainable, inclusive, and integrated circular economy.

Specific objectives are:

Supporting innovation and economic development in the waste prevention and management sector;

Reducing the impact of waste on the regions natural environment (dispersion, storage, incineration) to promote sustainable development;

Fostering the development of expertise and skills in waste prevention and management; and

Developing a management and communication system that involves the public and the private sectors and citizens.

 

Expected results:

Reduction in non-dangerous waste storage in landfills from 1 800 000 tonnes/year before the project (2014) to 1 200 000 t/year by the project end (2023) and 1 000 000 t/year three years after the project end;

Increase in the annual weight of organic waste collected and removed from storage from 517 000 t/year before the project to 600 000 t/year by the project end, and 700 000 t/year three years after the project end;

Increase in the involvement of local stakeholders in networking activities of the project from 150 at the project start to 400 at the project end, and 500 three years after the project end;

Increase in the share of the regional population affected by the project's operations from 60% at the project start to 100% at the project end; and

Avoidance of greenhouse gas emissions due to a reduction in waste generation (up to 30% by 2026).

 

In addition to the IP budget itself, the project will facilitate the coordinated use of complementary funding from EAFRD, ERDF, and a national and private fund.