Icon News EUROPEAN WEEK FOR WASTE REDUCTION : SUEZ publishes the 2nd edition of the barometer conducted by Odoxa “Les Français et la réduction des déchets” (“The French and waste reduction”):

Paris, November 19, 2021

EUROPEAN WEEK FOR WASTE REDUCTION

SUEZ publishes the 2nd edition of the barometer conducted by Odoxa

"Les Français et la réduction des déchets" ("The French and waste reduction"):

• • 88% of French people, i.e., 9 out of 10 French people, consider waste reduction to be a national priority
• A growing interest in re-use practices: 57% of French people adhere to the principle of recovery centers and recycling centers

On the occasion of the European Week for Waste Reduction, SUEZ publishes the annual barometer: "Les Français et la réduction des déchets" ("The French and waste reduction") in partnership with the Odoxa polling institute. This new edition reveals the growing interest of French people in the environment: 9 out of 10 French people consider waste reduction to be a national priority and 56% of them think that it is necessary to adopt new ways of consuming. Faced with this observation, how do French people act to reduce their waste? What are the obstacles encountered and where are the areas for improvement?

French people are willing to limit their waste

In France, waste reduction is now a fundamental trend. Indeed, 88% of French people say they are concerned about reducing their daily waste. A phenomenon accentuated by the health crisis which has caused a change in behavior for 32% of French people. However, 64% of them regret the lack of incentives from the State and 35% report difficulties in reducing their waste, versus 30% in 2020, due to the predominance of packaging.

French people are aware of the need to change their behavior and consumption patterns

Beyond "correctly sorting," a practice assimilated by 89% of French people, more than half of them (56%) consider that new ways of consuming must be adopted. For example, avoiding food waste and consuming tap water are common practices for 70% and 56% of French people respectively. On the other hand, only 36% of French people recycle their bio-waste in a composter and 16% buy food products in bulk. These results can be explained by the type of accommodation (apartment, house), or by the presence of services promoting waste reduction in proximity to the home.

French people are increasingly interested in re-use practices

In 2021, the reuse and second-hand sector continues to be an excellent driver of waste reduction: 68% of the people surveyed resell objects and equipment on dedicated platforms (leboncoin, Vinted, etc.) and 67% make donations to associations, recycling centers and collection trucks. In addition, 57% of French people fully support the principle of recovery centers and recycling centers.

SUEZ

Head Office: Tour CB21 - 16 Place de l'Iris, 92040 Paris La Défense Cedex, France - Tel.: [phone] - www.suez.com

Limited Liability Company with a share capital of €2,485,450,316 - Siren (French business administration number) 433 466 570 RCS NANTERRE - VAT FR 76433 466 570

SUEZ is accompanying this trend with the support of specialized partners from the world of the Social and Solidarity Economy for example by transforming waste disposal centers into repair, reuse and recycling centers.

Methodology:

• Target : sample of 12,018 French people drawn up using the quotas method, in regard to sex, age, region and socio-professional category;
• Collection type: study conducted electronically;
• Collection time: October 29 to November 8, 2021.

Press contacts
SUEZ	ODOXA
Isabelle Herrier-Naufle / Elodie Vandevoorde	Erwan Lestrohan
[phone] / [phone]	[phone]
[e-mail]/[e-mail]	[e-mail]

About SUEZ:

Since the end of the 19th century, SUEZ has built expertise aimed at helping people to constantly improve their quality of life by protecting their health and supporting economic growth. With an active presence on five continents, SUEZ and its 90,000 employees strive to preserve our environment's natural capital: water, soil, and air. SUEZ provides innovative and resilient solutions in water management, waste recovery, site remediation and air treatment, optimizing municipalities' and industries' resource management through "smart" cities and improving their environmental and economic performance. The Group delivers sanitation services to 64 million people and produces 7.1 billion m3 of drinking water. SUEZ is also a contributor to economic growth, with more than 200,000 jobs created directly and indirectly on an annual basis, and a provider of new resources, with 4.2 million tons of secondary raw materials produced. By 2030, the Group is targeting 100% sustainable solutions, with a positive impact on our environment, health and climate. SUEZ generated total revenue of €17.2 billion in 2020.

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SUEZ

Head Office: Tour CB21 - 16 Place de l'Iris, 92040 Paris La Défense Cedex, France - Tel.: [phone] - www.suez.com

Limited Liability Company with a share capital of €2,485,450,316 - Siren (French business administration number) 433 466 570 RCS NANTERRE - VAT FR 76433 466 570