French Solid Waste Partnership

2025 General Assembly of the FSWP

Pauline — 2025-12-10T07:17:50Z

The General Assembly of the French Solid Waste Partnership took place on December 5, 2025.

The General Assembly of the French Waste Partnership was held on 5 December 2025 in Courbevoie. This meeting provided an opportunity to take stock of the progress made since March 2023. The 2024 annual report was presented, covering a full year of PFD activity, with strong participation in international events, the creation of compelling content (publications, digital deliverables, etc.) and the acquisition of new members. The meeting was also an opportunity to present the 2024 accounts and to look ahead to the 2025 budget and 2026 forecast.

Ordre du jour

Rapport d'activité 2024

Rapport du trésorier 2024

Support présentation AG

Worldwide plastic pollution treaty- INC5.2

Pauline — 2025-05-21T14:57:49Z

From 5 to 14 august 2025, Geneva, Switzerland. This session aimed to finalize an international legally binding treaty to combat plastic pollution. The agreement was expected to address the full life cycle of plastics, from production to disposal, in order to protect both the environment and human health.

The INC 5.2 negotiations for a legally binding international treaty on plastics ended on August 15, 2025, with no agreement. Disagreement by a handful of countries on plastics production and composition, or on health considerations led to a stalemate. Even though it may appear as a failure, what has been achieved over the last three years of negotiations is a real success. Our takeaway points are:

120 countries are now united around the content of an ambitious treaty that covers the full life cycle of plastics,
With revised procedure rules in a future negotiation, these countries can lead the way to an ambitious treaty,
Environmentally Sound Management (ESM) of waste and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes on plastic waste were agreed as necessary items, but countries could not agree on making them mandatory. We hope the future negotiations can anchor ESM of waste as mandatory, as part of the full life cycle approach.

Summary INC 5.2

FSWP's position

The French Solid Waste Partnership (FSWP) does not plan to attend this session in Geneva in person. However, we will continue to advocate for our position, which is outlined in an article published on our LinkedIn page and structured around three strategic pillars:

Ban globally non-recyclable and non-essential plastics,
Restrict plastics that offer no added value in terms of use, while promoting an alternative economy based on the 9Rs framework developed by Julian Kirchherr et al. in 2017,
Support the development of circularity through a shift in the economic model.

Discover the Technical Note on EPR in the plastic treaty

As negotiations progress toward an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment, many national focal points have called for clear and practical guidance on how to establish Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) systems. In response, the ISWA Working Group on Governance and Legal Issues has developed this technical note — an introductory roadmap outlining key steps and success factors for designing and implementing effective EPR schemes that can fulfil their potential in combating plastic pollution.
Read the Note

Understand transfer of plastic waste in aquatic environments

80% of marine waste comes from land-based activities. The aim of this Handbook is to raise awareness and inform those involved in the protection of aquatic ecosystems and waste management, as well as those less familiar with the issue, so that together they can make informed decisions and take concrete action. This manual covers all aspects of aquatic ecosystems: “From Source to Sea”, thanks to cases study from all over the world (Mekong, Europe, Togo, …).
Read the handbook

world cleanup day

Pauline — 2025-02-03T15:05:54Z

On 8 December 2023, the United Nations General Assembly, in its seventy-eighth session, unanimously adopted resolution 78/122 “World Cleanup Day”, which proclaims 20 September as World Cleanup Day.

The world produces over 2 billion tonnes of municipal solid waste every year, and almost half of this is not properly managed. Waste that is not collected and treated in controlled facilities not only compromises human safety, but also exacerbates the climate crisis, biodiversity loss and pollution.

Waste production could reach 3.8 billion tonnes by 2050.

Waste prevention and management play a key role in building a sustainable future. The aim of World Clean-up Day is to raise the profile of this issue and encourage awareness and collective action to reduce the impact of waste-related pollution on the environment and, consequently, on our health.

We need sound management of waste everywhere to achieve sustainable development goals

Discover our infographic highlighting the importance of sound waste management in achieving sustainable development goals.

Discover

2025 UN Ocean Conference

Pauline — 2024-12-04T14:53:49Z

From 9 to 13 June 2025, Nice, France. The high-level 2025 United Nations Conference to Support the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development was co-hosted by France and Costa Rica.

The overarching theme of the Conference was“Accelerating action and mobilizing all actors to conserve and sustainably use the ocean”. The focus of our contribution to UNOC3 was on the “conserve” angle.

UNOC Report (fr)

FSWP's position

Pollutions travel from land to sea: 80% of plastic pollution in oceans originates on land. To effectively combat marine pollution, the most sustainable investment is Ecologically Sound Management (ESM) of waste, which includes source reduction, recovery and treatment. This approach is based on rigorous waste stream control, while protecting human health and the environment.

For plastics, as for other wastes, priority must be given to reducing their production and reusing them, then to recycling and final treatment in compliance with ESM, as defined by the Basel Convention. Effective recovery depends, among other things, on the implementation of eco-design and the existence of markets for the secondary materials produced: it's a life cycle approach.

Reducing plastic waste generation is based on the implementation of the circular economy hierarchy (which begins with “Refuse”...). This hierarchy of actions implies a deep transformation of production and consumption patterns, and the implementation of new economic models which, although underway, are coming up against various forms of resistance requiring ever closer collaboration between all players in the value chains.

ESM of waste (reduction at source, recovery and treatment) has a cost, even when circularity and the associated revenue streams are established. The environmental benefits of this solution outweigh the costs of its implementation (GWMO 2024). It must be financed by a range of financial instruments involving both public and private stakeholders, so that these avoided costs benefit society as a whole.

Exchanges at UNOC 3 played a key role in the ongoing drafting of a legally binding international treaty on plastic pollution, particularly in the marine environment, to be held in Geneva in August. They also supported the “Global Push”, an initiative aimed at gaining recognition for the essential role of waste management and the transition to circularity in achieving the 2030 SDGs.

*ISO Norm 59004 establishes clear definition of the actions within this hierarchy

Position paper - UNOC

Our Side-event

– Monday 9th june 2025 from 13h30 to 15h30 - Archipel Pavilion, La Baleine (Palais des Expositions)
Spotlight on the Land to Sea Continuum to Protect Marine Environments from Plastic Pollution

Partners : AFD, INBO, ADEME, Circulearth, Expertise France

Flyer.pdf

presentation

– Monday 9th june 2025 from 11h45 to 13h15 - Pavillon “A bout de plastique”, La Baleine (Palais des Expositions)
Cooperating for a Mediterranean Circular Economy
Organizer : Circemed

– Tuesday 10th june 2025 from 15h to 18h- Blue zone
Ocean Action Panel 4 : Preventing and significantly reducing marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities
Each morning, plenary sessions were held, during which UN Member States made statements on their commitment to the ocean. Dialogue sessions bringing together Member States, UN organizations, and representatives of civil society (NGOs, scientists, businesses) took place every morning and afternoon. Action Panel 4 focused on the prevention and significant reduction of all types of marine pollution, particularly those caused by land-based activities, including plastic pollution. The FSWP requested to publish a statement in order to advocate for ESM of waste and make the link with our Global Push initiative.

FSWP statement

UN Climate Change Conference - COP30

Pauline — 2024-12-04T14:39:34Z

From 10 to 21 November 2025, Belem, Brazil. The 2025 UN Climate Change Conference was convened in Brazil. It brought together the signatory countries of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

A key task for the COP is to review the national communications and emission inventories submitted by Parties. Based on this information, the COP assess the effects of the measures taken by Parties and the progress made in achieving the ultimate objective of the Convention. The Parties also discuss the measures and means that need to be committed to ensure progress towards the reduction ambition, which is then reported into a joint declaration.

Summary note COP30

Renewed partnership with ISWA

The FSWP pursued its partnership with ISWA initiated at COP28 to consolidate the contributions of all solid waste stakeholders in this international arena. It was a unique opportunity to unify the voice of the waste sector, in order to amplify its outreach to the climate community and mobilise national delegations around an ambition to reduce emissions through improved waste management (prevention, source separation, collection and treatment, recycling).

A high-level event ahead of the COP

6 november 2025 - Participation by invitation only
Sustainable cities are cities that set high ambitions on waste prevention and waste sorting for recovery, as well as ensure they provide for the collection and safe final disposal of the waste that could not be avoided nor recycled. Implementing these waste management strategies can unleash a mitigation potential of up to 20% of global emissions. However, their full implementation requires a transition from the 3Rs (Reduce, Recycle, Recover) to reshaping business models and the global economy to achieve the 3Ds (Decouple growth from waste generation, Decarbonize and Decontaminate the economies).

This high-level event provided a platform for Local Authorities, National Governments, Private Companies and Financiers to share their challenges and opportunities in shaping projects that contribute to this ambitious transition, and identify synergies to accelerate action.

Flyer

Our 2025 publication « Atlas on Waste Management and Climate Change Mitigation. Focus on integrating waste initiatives into NDCs. » was widely shared around these events. The latter is available to download.

Basel Convention Conference - COP17

Pauline — 2024-12-04T13:44:03Z

From 28 April to 9 May 2025, Geneva, Switzerland. The seventeenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Basel Convention was held back-to-back with the twelfth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Rotterdam Convention (RC COP-12) and the twelfth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Stockholm Convention (SC COP-12)

The theme of the meetings and the high-level segment will be “Make visible the invisible: sound management of chemicals and wastes”.

Highlights from the BRS COPs

We have an observer status at the COP, and are members of the Household Waste Partnership and Plastic Waste Partnership.

The main focus at COP17 was the update of Annex IV to better reflect the realities of waste streams crossing borders. Annex IV defines treatment methods of waste for disposal or recycling, which may or may not comply with Ecologically Sound Management (ESM) criteria, in order to track the end point of waste transfers. Open burning was ultimately not added to the list, despite advocacy from several African countries seeking recognition of this non-ESM compliant reality. Similarly, the “preparation for reuse or repair” category was not added, due to lack of consensus on the reporting implications it might create.

Beyond the formalities of waste transfers, the Basel Convention defines ESM of waste and provides guidance for different treatment methods or waste types. COP17 introduced a new guidance document on ESM of household waste, which was presented during the FSWP side-event where the “Global Push” was launched (see above). FSWP supported the integration, in the 2026–2027 Work Plan of the “Household Waste Partnership” under BRS, of the activity enabling joint forums, webinars, and side-events on issues related to household and plastic waste. This will be a key component supporting the Global Push.

In the future, these BRS Conventions will be linked to new agreements: the Plastics Treaty (INC5.2 in August 2025) and the “Scientific and Policy Panel on Chemicals and Waste”, which will be discussed in June 2025.

Side event organisation

“Waste in the Spotlight: A Call for Sound Management & Global Action”

This side event highlighted the need to implement Environmentally Sound Management (ESM) of waste and promote the circular economy to achieve sustainable development goals. It emphasized the essential transition to a society that produces less waste, safely recovers materials and energy, and ensures environmentally sound final disposal solutions. This side event shed light on the invisible impacts of poor waste management on health and environment and explored solutions to integrate waste and resource management into sustainable development frameworks. The waste and resources community are inherently multi-stakeholder encompassing municipalities and local authorities, national governments, private companies, UN- agencies, NGOs and international finance providing capital investments. These stakeholders must unite under a shared vision to drive transformative change in waste and resource management. This side event marked the beginning of a series dedicated to forging this unified approach and advancing waste and resource management as a global priority.

Flyer

We need ESM for waste everywhere to achieve SDGs

Worldwide plastic pollution treaty- INC5

Pauline — 2024-11-20T15:45:17Z

November 25 to December 1st, Busan, Republic of Korea. The fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment (INC-5), is scheduled to take place at the Busan Exhibition and Convention Center in Busan.

To tackle plastic pollution on an international scale, the Fifth United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-5) adopted a landmark resolution in March 2022 to negotiate a global treaty to tackle plastic pollution by the end of 2024. The treaty is intended to be legally binding and based on a global approach covering the entire life cycle of plastics.

Intergovernmental negotiating committees chronology

Understand transfer of plastic waste in aquatic environments

The International Network of Basin Organisations (INBO) and its partners, the French solid waste partnership (FSWP), the International Solid Waste Association (ISWA) and the Agence Française de Développement (AFD), have worked together to draw up a Handbook to learn and to act with the support of the French Biodiversity Agency (OFB).

Read the handbook

A new version of the Technical Note on support mechanisms is available online

Environmentally Sound Management of Waste

This document focuses on Mechanisms to support the implementation of efficient municipal waste management systems adapted to national and local conditions. Local authorities are often mandated to manage waste that cannot be prevented. They are dependent on national policies on prevention (priority 1) and recovery (priority 2), and work with local recyclers who recover waste when a market exists.

Read the Technical Note

2024 General Assembly of the FSWP

Pauline — 2024-10-14T06:44:34Z

The General Assembly of the French Solid Waste Partnership took place on October 17, 2024.

The General Assembly of the French Solid Waste Partnership was held on 17 October 2017 in Courbevoie, France. FSWP presented the 2023 annual report, which covers a partial year of operation that has seen the implementation of grant agreements and the invoicing of membership fees.

This assembly was the occasion to present a report on the association's activities during the first 9 months of 2024.

The FSWP shared the 2023 treasurer's & auditor's report, as well as the 2024 budget and the 2025-2026 forecasts.

‘Vision' seminar open to all FSWP's members

On Thursday 17 October, the French Solid Waste Partnership hold its ‘Vision' seminar open to all members.

The aim was to build consensus among FSWP members to refine our vision of the desired change and our key messages for the year ahead.

UN Climate Change Conference – COP29

Pauline — 2024-05-31T09:19:28Z

November 11 to 22, Baku, Azerbaijan.
The 2024 UN Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC COP 29) will convene in November 2024 in Baku, Azerbaijan.

A key task for the COP is to review the national communications and emission inventories submitted by Parties. Based on this information, the COP assesses the effects of the measures taken by Parties and the progress made in achieving the ultimate objective of the Convention. The Parties also discuss the measures and means that need to be committed to ensure progress towards the reduction ambition, which are then reported into a joint declaration.

Methane emissions at the heart of waste and climate issues

The reduction of methane emissions, in particular those from mis-managed solid waste, remains a major topic to address the urgent need to curb global warming. At the last COP in Dubai, the topic was widely discussed by civil society, but little by the Parties. Our goal is to elevate this topic on the political agenda of Member States.

The COP Presidency is initiating a turning point in climate diplomacy by including waste management as a climate mitigation topic in the Thematic Declarations and Pledge letters.

COP29 Declaration on Reducing Methane from Organic Waste

Renewed partnership with ISWA

The FSWP is pursuing its partnership with ISWA initiated at COP28 to consolidate the contributions of all solid waste stakeholders in this international arena. It is a unique opportunity to unify the voice of the waste sector, in order to amplify its outreach to the climate community and mobilise national delegations around an ambition to reduce emissions through improved waste management (prevention, source separation, collect and treatment, recycling).

Watch the live from COP webinar

The French Solid Waste Partnership and ISWA co-hosted a webinar live from the COP 29, on November 19, 2024.
The recording of the webinar is available on our Youtube channel:
Webinar part 1
Webinar Part 2
Webinar Part 3

Webinar presentation

FSWP publication is now available

The French Waste Partnership has been working for several months on a publication entitled : “Waste Management to Tackle the Climate Crisis: Circular Economy and Mitigation.”

It is now available to download in English and will be available in French on 9 December.

12th World Urban Forum

Pauline — 2024-05-31T08:16:02Z

November 4 to 8, Cairo, Egypt.
The World Urban Forum (WUF) is the leading global conference on sustainable urbanisation. It is organised by UN-Habitat to bring together all urban stakeholders around their sustainable development challenges.

The WUF was established in 2001 by the United Nations to address one of the most pressing issues facing the world today: rapid urbanisation and its impact on communities, cities, economies, climate change and policies. The impact of cities on biodiversity is an emerging topic, that will be on the agenda, given the timing of the COP16 on Biodiversity ending the week before. In this context, waste management is an essential topic that remains to be addressed more thoroughly.

The first WUF was held in Nairobi, Kenya in 2002 and has been held around the world ever since. This Forum initiated by UN-Habitat is the main worldwide conference gathering all urban stakeholders: public, private, civil society, and academics, in order for them to share experience and define common overarching goals. Thousands of participants were expected to attend WUF12 which is co-hosted by The Government of the Arab Republic of Egypt.

FSWP contribution

This forum brings together local authorities, who are the forefront of waste management planning. It is therefore an opportunity for the FSWP to convey our messages and to point out that their mobilisation, along with all the waste management stakeholders, is essential for sustainable urban development.

Read our report (FR)

Our events

– November 5 from 9h to 9h30- French pavilion's Pitch corner
Essential services and land management
Partners : French Water Partnership, International Union of Notaries & French Solid Waste Partnership

– November 5 from 10h45 to 11h45 - FSWP intervention
Roundtable on zero waste cities
Organiser : UN Habitat

– November 6 from 17h to 18h30 - FSWP intervention in “Voices from Cities”
“Moving Towards Zero Waste Cities: Planning and Designing Sustainable Cities”
Organiser : UN Habitat

Flyer

– November 7 from 16h to 18h - French pavilion event
Global Push for Waste management
Organiser : French Solid Waste Partnership
Partners : International Solid Waste Association (ISWA), UNEP, UN-Habitat, Egypt Solid Waste Management Center of Excellence and BRS Secretariat, UCLG

Flyer

Our member's events

The Syctom is planning to attend two events :
– November 7 from 9h to 10h30 - SDGs in Action - Room A
Reframing Municipal Waste Management and Financing

Flyer

– November 7 from 15h to 16h30 - Networking event - Multipurpose room #18
Reframing Waste Management Local and Global Financing for all. Seizing a Historic Opportunity

Flyer

The IRD is planning to attend five events on french pavilion :
– November 4 from 14h to 15h30 - Feedback from solidarity French Partnership for Cities and Territories's (PFVT) working group
Cooperation between South-South or South-North universities
– November 5 from 10h15 to 11h15 - Debate: Territorialising the SDGs
Integration of SDG 11 and SDG 13 in Douala urban planning
– November 6 novembre at 9h45 - PFVT pitch corner
pitch on the ePop Sustainable Cities project
– November 6 from 10h30 at 12h - Feedback from adaptation PFVT Working Group
What adaptation solutions? feedback from a local experience
– November 6 from 13h30 to 15h - Feedback from health PFVT Working Group
Environmental health & urban air quality in Senegal - The AirGeo project

Transition to a global sound waste management is urgently needed to achieve the 2030 Agenda

UN-Habitat is the organiser of this event and is also the custodian of SDG 11 - Sustainable Cities and Communities. This is the only SDG with a specific target (11.6) addressing waste collection and treatment, with a monitoring through the following two indicators:

11.6.1 Proportion of municipal solid waste collected and managed in controlled facilities out of total municipal waste generated, by cities
11.6.2 Annual mean levels of fine particulate matter (e.g. PM2.5 and PM10) in cities (population weighted)

– Discover our infographic on the many links between waste management and Sustainable Development Goals
See the infographic