Sorting at source on construction sites: regulations become a lever for savings

Since the AGEC (Anti-Waste for a Circular Economy) law, reinforced by the REP PMCB (Construction Products and Materials for the Building Sector) law, which has been in effect since 2023, waste management is no longer a peripheral issue. It has become a strict regulatory obligation, accompanied by controls, extensive legal responsibilities, and soon sanctions for offenders. But beyond the constraint, this new situation can become a strategic economic lever, provided it is well supported.

Why sorting at source costs… less?

Too often, construction companies underestimate the economic impact of poorly organized sorting. Mixing rubble, plastics, wood, plaster, or metals in a single skip results in an overall billing at the highest rate, with a virtually zero recovery rate. Conversely, sorting at source allows for differentiated waste management: some materials can be recovered, while others can be reused or recycled at much lower costs. The result: bills go down and margins improve.

Companies that have implemented source sorting are making significant savings. These savings are due to the reduction in non-recyclable residual volumes, the reduction in the number of bin rotations, and the optimization of logistics circuits.

Sorting at source: a response to today's obligations and tomorrow's demands

Sorting at source is no longer just good practice: it is now a regulatory obligation, arising in particular from Article L541-1-2 of the Environmental Code and Decree No. 2021-950 of July 16, 2021.

These regulations will continue to be strengthened as France moves towards carbon neutrality objectives.

Public project owners already require proof of good waste management, and this is becoming systematic in both private and public tenders.

Contractors are now including CSR clauses in their supplier rating criteria: being impeccable in sorting is becoming a differentiating and competitive factor.

For this transformation to be successful, it must be accompanied by a cultural change on construction sites. This responsibility is not the responsibility of the site manager alone, but rather of the entire chain: from the site manager to the project owner, including subcontractors and project management. It is essential to intervene from the early stages, by training teams, implementing concrete sorting solutions on site, and ensuring personalized follow-up. Sorting thus becomes a professional gesture as natural as wearing a hard hat or reading plans.

Recycling is no longer throwing away differently. It's building differently.

Sorting waste at source is therefore much more than regulatory compliance: it's a smart way to address a construction site's overall performance. Lower costs, greater visibility, a measured environmental impact, and a better image among end customers.

In a world where materials are becoming scarce, environmental requirements are tightening, and margins are under pressure, sorting at source isn't just a nice touch. It's a resilience strategy. It also promises that every construction site can become a virtuous circle, where yesterday's waste becomes tomorrow's resources.

Tribune by David Cararon, Director of the Geode dealership network (LinkedIn).