BOISmag 230

The Wood Industry Facing the Challenge
of REP

The Extended Producer Responsibility scheme for building products and materials (REP PMCB) was meant to be a major breakthrough: organizing the collection of construction waste, promoting reuse and recycling, and curbing illegal dumping. On paper, the ambition is laudable. In practice, the picture is more complicated.

For months, the wood sector has voiced growing concern—not out of opposition to the principle itself, but because the current system disproportionately penalizes a material that should be encouraged. Many stakeholders denounce “excessive” eco-contributions, poorly calibrated fee structures, and an underdeveloped collection network. Wood, though renewable and bio-based, finds itself at a disadvantage, while other materials shoulder a lighter burden.

Industry organizations are sounding the alarm. The French Building Federation warns that the situation has become “untenable for craftsmen and contractors.” The services promised—such as cost-free take-back or a reliable nationwide network—are far from guaranteed, while financial contributions are already weighing heavily on companies. Similarly, the National Wood Federation points to a glaring inconsistency: the current fee schedules “endanger the competitiveness of wood” to the point that some firms are considering leaving the eco-organizations altogether. How can it be justified that a renewable, carbon-storing, and widely reused material faces higher costs than steel or concrete? For the FNB, urgent action is needed to “restore balance in the sector,” avoid distortions of competition, and safeguard the future of sawmills and processors.

In response to this outcry, the government has announced a moratorium and restarted consultations. This must be seen as an opportunity. The aim is not to abandon the scheme, but to improve it. Yes, REP must exist. Yes, we need to organize the end-of-life of building products, strengthen sorting, and increase recycling. But it must be done intelligently—by recognizing the strengths of each material and rewarding those that are the most sustainable.

Adèle Cazier