Madeleine Speed

France Makes Furniture Sellers Pay for Disposal and Recycling

Martin Capstick of the North London Waste Authority argues that the cost of disposing of cheap furniture should not fall solely on public authorities and taxpayers. Madeleine Speed reports on France’s fees on furniture makers and retailers, which help pay for collection and treatment, and on an industrial plant that recovers material from MDF. The examples address different parts of the problem: making producers contribute to disposal costs and finding ways to reuse material that can be recycled.