Refuse collection charges in France set to rise amid pollution tax hike

Costs for refuse collection are set to increase significantly in the coming years, as a hike to taxes on polluting activities - a measure included in the 2026 draft budget - is expected to be passed onto residents. 

Rates for the taxe générale sur les activités polluantes (general tax on polluting activities, or TGAP) should increase by around 10% each year between 2026 and 2030, the draft budget states. 

This includes an increase to the general tax as well as to the reduced rates currently in place for incineration.

Public service media FranceInfo estimates the extra cost as between €240million and €450million depending on how successful councils and their contractors are at reducing the amount of waste buried or incinerated.

If passed on to households, who currently pay an average €144 a year according to the latest figures available, this would therefore represent an extra €40 to €76 on the bill by 2030.

It comes as ‘refuse collection taxes’, particularly for the TEOM (taxe d’enlèvement des ordures ménagères) style of collections, have risen sharply in recent years and many communes are accused of overcharging. 

TGAP rates are set to increase from €25 to €45 per tonne of incinerated waste, and from €65 to €105 per tonne of landfill waste between now and 2030. 

While this tax is generally charged to businesses for polluting activities, including waste management companies, firms can pass the additional costs onto the local authorities who contract them to conduct waste management and refuse collection in communes. 

In turn, municipalities can forward this onto residents as part of refuse collection charges, as they reflect the cost to the council of providing the refuse service. Many are expected to do so as they face their own task to stretch limited funds. 

Local authorities unhappy over proposed rise

While the government argues that the tax will help reduce landfill waste in France and encourage more recycling, local authorities have reacted angrily.

It was called “an unfair, ineffective, and unjust tax,” by the general delegate of the Amorce network, representing councils and firms involved in local waste management, Nicolas Garnier. 

He said to media outlet Le Parisien it was just aimed at raising tax money and that it could see municipal expenses for refuse collecting rise by €450 million from €850 million nationally in 2023 to around €1.3 billion by 2030 (a 53% increase).

If the proposed increase is voted through in the budget and the estimated 10% annual rise comes into force, pollution taxes could represent up to 30% of the total household TEOM bill in five years’ time, estimates Amorce.

Note that content in the draft 2026 budget is not yet definitive and MPs are expected to make significant changes to the text as it is debated in the chamber in the coming weeks.