Construction waste crisis: Olivier Salleron (FFB) calls for urgent reform of the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme in the Senate

A clear failure for the PMCB EPR: 80% of construction waste is not being collected.

Launched three years ago to structure the recycling of construction materials, the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme for building construction materials (PMCB) is on a critical trajectory. Before the Senate committee, Olivier Salleron didn't mince words: "Today, three years later, it's an 80% failure, since barely 20% of the waste is collected." Of an estimated 40 million tons of waste annually, only 21 million tons are effectively processed through the recycling system.

For French construction and landscaping companies—from small businesses to large corporations—this operational dysfunction has resulted in a veritable explosion of costs. In three years, the budget allocated to waste management has simply doubled for the majority of professionals.

The double financial blow for craftsmen and SMEs in the construction industry

Industry professionals face a blatant financial injustice by paying twice for the same service:

1. Upstream: When purchasing new materials, subject to eco-contribution
2. Downstream: When waste is deposited with traditional management providers, due to the lack of effective free take-back services

With net margins historically fluctuating between 2% and 3% at the end of the fiscal year, this additional burden is stifling the profitability of local businesses. This situation is all the more untenable given that the four approved eco-organizations are planning another increase in their rates on July 1st. To ensure strict enforcement of the law, the French Building Federation (FFB) has even filed a legal challenge against the State before the Council of State.

The 3 pillars of the overhaul: Towards pragmatic geo-territorial management

Faced with the urgency, the FFB supports the reform scenario presented by the ministry, structured around three fundamental axes aimed at restoring economic and geographical coherence to the system.

1. Economic rationalization: Differentiating between mature and immature sectors

The current model heavily funds recycling sectors that already have their own maturity and profitability (such as metals, inert materials, or wood) [04:28]. The reform aims to prioritize eco-contributions on complex materials requiring strong development support, such as flat glass, insulation, plastics, or bituminous membranes.

2. Optimizing the territorial network: Relieving pressure on public waste disposal sites

The geographical deployment of collection points remains the system's weak point. Faced with the legitimate saturation of public waste disposal sites managed by local authorities, the FFB proposes a clear hierarchy of local infrastructure:

• Prioritize the use of the private network (professional waste disposal sites, inert waste platforms, material distributors)
• Use public waste disposal sites only as a last resort, particularly to cover rural or isolated "white zones," subject to financial compensation.

3. Active fight against illegal dumping in the territories

Illegal dumping disfigures communities and damages the overall image of the construction industry. To help local authorities bear this burden, the reform project includes the creation of a fund dedicated to eliminating illegal dumping, financed by all stakeholders in the sector in a spirit of solidarity.

Transparency and anticipation: Field requirements for 2026

Beyond territorial logistics, the FFB insists on the need to restore trust between eco-organizations and building contractors. The trade association demands the strict application of two common-sense regulatory measures:

• A minimum notice period of 9 months is required before any modification or increase in tariff rates; this is essential to align recycling costs with the actual timeframe of quotes signed with project owners.
• Full financial transparency through the effective activation of the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Economic and Environmental Observatory, in order to track the use of funds collected from artisans

Despite the implementation challenges inherent in the "long timeframe" of environmental reforms, the French Building Federation (FFB) reiterates that the French construction sector remains one of the most virtuous in Europe in terms of standards (RE2020) and energy-efficient renovation. The success of this territorial restructuring is the essential condition for the ecological transition of the building sector to finally be synonymous with economic sustainability and practical efficiency.