Rungis turns to Suez to lead waste effort

Rungis International Market in Paris has awarded Suez, a leader in environmental services, a seven-year contract worth €31m aimed at increasing the sorting and recovery of food waste and non-food waste at the market.

Since January 2024, Suez has been deploying awareness solutions, strengthening waste sorting and recovery. The main objective is reportedly to double the share of waste sorted by 2025.

This new partnership to recover waste is part of the Rungis’s CSR strategy, which aims to reduce the market’s environmental footprint. 

Since the start of 2024, Suez has been supporting Rungis’s management authority, Semmaris, in preventing, sorting and recovering waste at the market, including 100 per cent of organic waste, which is now mandatory in accordance with the AGEC law.

To achieve the objective of doubling the share of sorted waste by 2025, several actions are being undertaken, according to Rungis. These include:

- Sorting at source: visible and easily comprehensible signage is being installed to facilitate sorting, boosting the quality of the waste collected with a view to recovery;
- Advice and support: certified training, awareness workshops and events are being organised by recycling experts to market operators at Rungis;
- Sorting ambassadors: local representatives are carrying out educational activities aimed at strengthening the involvement of wholesale customers;
- Operational optimisation adapted to the different Semmaris sites: new working methods have been put in place to optimise the performance of the sorting centre and market recycling centre.

Suez said it was committed to implementing a zero-waste policy by using food donation platforms for unsold products, processing damaged goods and employing composting and anaerobic digestion.

The company will also ensure on-site collection and logistics with a fleet of 100 per cent electric vehicles and drivers trained in eco-driving, enabling a sixfold cut in annual CO2 emissions.

Stéphane Layani, president of Rungis, commented: “This contract with Suez opens up new horizons for Rungis market in the field of waste management. As the leading public food service, the market must be exemplary in the treatment and recovery of its food and non-food waste. Suez is a leading company in this market and I am convinced that by joining forces we will achieve our objectives and respect our CSR commitments.”

Sabrina Soussan, chairperson and CEO of Suez, added: “Suez is proud to support Rungis, the largest fresh produce market in the world, in its ambitious commitment to waste management and the reduction of its environmental footprint.”