Insee Première · June 2025 · n° 2055

Household and similar waste: more than 600 kg collected per inhabitant in 2021, sorting up by more than 20% in 10 years

In 2021, 41 million tonnes of household and similar waste were collected in France (metropolitan France and Reunion Island) by the public waste management service, representing 615 kg per inhabitant. The quantities collected per inhabitant increased by 4% in ten years. The quantities sorted by households rose by 21%, while those that were not sorted, known as ‘residual household waste’, fell by 14%. More often sorted, waste was more widely destined to reuse or recycling, as well as composting or methanisation. In tourist areas, particularly along the coast, the quantities of household waste collected per inhabitant were higher than elsewhere. On the other hand, they were lower, and waste was sorted to a greater extent, in intercommunal areas that introduced incentive-based pricing. The quantities collected increased with the standard of living of the more affluent populations and with the density of the commercial offer.