Guest of the radio morning, this Friday, February 17, Bernard Creugnet spoke about the recycling of food packaging waste, whose operational launch of the sector is planned within a few weeks.
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Since 2021, the southern province has adapted the regulations for recycling food packaging waste. This concerns: drinks and food contained in glass, plastic or metal (aluminum or ferrous metals). Each year, approximately 200 million products are put on the market, indicated the CEO of Trecodec, this eco-organization dedicated to the collection and recycling of waste in New Caledonia.
The polluter pays principle
Concretely, producers, whether manufacturers, importers or distributors, will have to take charge of the end of life of their products. That’s to say, “that they must organize the collection and treatment system, but also finance it”, explained Bernard Creugnet. But who pays? “The consumer via eco-participation. A very small sum is donated to the eco-organization Trecodec which will centralize the money on behalf of the producers. This is called pooling so that it costs less”.
On the side of manufacturers and importers, this change in regulations sometimes has difficulty in passing, indicated the CEO of Trecodec, “it wasn’t always well understood and it still isn’t because you have to make the effort to be interested in it. And since it’s not lucrative, it’s not always well lived. So the main thing today is to get started”.
Plastic bottles and cans for vouchers
And to encourage individuals to recycle plastic and aluminum, collection machines should be installed by the end of the year. In return, the consumer will receive 2 francs per container in the form of a voucher to be used in the medium and large surfaces concerned. “We didn’t invent anything”said Bernard Creugnet, “it exists in Metropolitan France and the West Indies and we believe that this device will encourage Caledonians to recycle”. It is Trecodec, initially, which will finance the machines, but the CEO hopes in the long term that the businesses will put their hands in their pockets.
Also find the interview with Bernard Creugnet, Chairman and CEO of Trecodec.
And all of the morning guests here.