TERRITORY PROGRAMME

Zero Waste France is an environmental protection movement that aims to reduce the waste of resources, the quantity of waste emitted and its toxicity. It offers a programme to support local authorities in implementing an ambitious waste reduction policy in their area: exchange mornings, training, study trips, regulatory analyses, personalised support, etc.

The zero waste approach is not limited to the private or entrepreneurial sphere, it must be carried out at the local level where decisions are taken on waste management (collection and treatment), an ambitious approach influences the reduction of waste, and therefore the preservation of resources.

This territorial project allows municipalities, inter-municipalities, treatment syndicates, etc. to change their perspective: from an approach where waste is a problem to be managed, where collection, treatment and cleanliness are objectives in themselves, and where the best waste is the one that is well "recovered" (i.e. incinerated or recycled); to an approach where waste reduction becomes the transversal driver of the territorial project, shared by all local services and actors, where the public service of waste management is refocused on prevention, and where the best waste is the one that is avoided. If carried out ambitiously, such a strategy can also generate numerous local benefits: reduction of environmental impact, job creation, lower waste management costs, improvement of the living environment, social links, resilience, etc.

Many pioneering territories have led the way, both in France and in Europe: Treviso and Capannori in Italy, Besançon and Roubaix in France... To this end, Zero Waste France, through its Territories programme, seeks to disseminate good practices and train all local actors, at a time when the mandates must be those of local authorities to take action. The urgency to act and reduce our global impact on the climate, as well as the approaching regulatory deadlines, such as the obligation for local authorities to sort bio-waste at source by 31 December 2023, now require a paradigm shift, which implies revolutionising local waste management.

This project aims to train, support and pass on feedback

In order to support local authorities in the development and implementation of a zero waste approach on their territory, Zero Waste France offers a training, feedback and exchange programme. Launched in 2015, this Territories programme aims to :

• Tosupport and train elected representatives and their teams in the challenges of prevention and to provide them with legal, regulatory and operational expertise on waste reduction.
• Promote the experience of pioneering and innovative territories in the field of waste reduction, in France and in Europe.
• Expand and animate a community of elected officials, technicians, project leaders and citizens wishing to advance the zero waste approach in their territory
• Tocreate links between actors from the same or similarterritories who wish to move towards the same waste reduction objectives.

The Territories programme is composed of four types of content:

• Thematic files, case studies and news articles on various subjects (bio-waste, plastic reduction, incentive-based pricing, etc.). All these resources are available free of charge online. A dedicated newsletter is available to disseminate this feedback and resources.
• Technical mornings of exchange, in order to deepen a key subject and share feedback from pioneering local authorities in the field of waste reduction. These sessions are open to all, and the presentations are then accessible in replay, as was the case for the technical morning on "Sorting bio-waste at source" held in October 2020.
• Professional training in small groups to deepen technical and regulatory issues, as well as tools and advice to concretely implement waste reduction actions in the territory.
• Study tours: to visit innovative facilities, meet project leaders, and benefit from feedback, advice, limitations or solutions tested in certain territories. Due to the current health context, study tours are suspended for the time being.

For whom?

The Territories programme is aimed at all actors involved in a local waste reduction initiative: elected officials and technicians from local authorities, in the first instance, but also zero-waste entrepreneurs or citizens involved in local Zero Waste groups. The aim is to encourage exchanges and synergies between these actors, while supporting and training them in waste reduction solutions.

Getting support

In addition to these shared sessions, Zero Waste France also offers local authorities personalised support to apply the zero waste, zero waste approach in their area. The association offers local authorities dedicated training sessions, within their departments or with local stakeholders (sports clubs and federations, event organisers, shopkeepers, etc.) on the themes of zero waste events, zero waste sports and sports events, waste reduction within the administration, or the implementation of awareness-raising operations.