In Angers, a local bio-waste collection, treatment and recovery loop

Based in the La Roseraie district of Angers, the Pôle In 49 association has set itself the goal of pooling energies around the themes of employment and citizenship, with an approach that is intended to be as collaborative as possible. Its aim is to work with local people, not in their place, and to work with existing institutional and private players in the field. With its hundreds of members, it identifies unmet needs and, by pooling resources, tries to meet them by creating jobs.

Its action programmes, carried out at local level, make Pôle In 49 a key player in creating a territorial network between residents, people who are far from employment and local businesses. In 2016, it launched a local organic market, the starting point for a new adventure in 2022: the association is looking to develop bio-waste management. The project involves organising the collection, processing and recovery of bio-waste.

In practical terms, an agent will be recruited in the district and equipped with a cargo bike to collect bio-waste and ensure that the electromechanical composter is working properly. The new equipment, acquired with the support of the Veolia Foundation, will be installed close to local businesses (supermarkets, restaurants), schools (canteens) and social landlords. At the end of the chain, the organic matter produced will be recycled in the form of compost to improve the soil of Pôle In 49's local organic market garden production unit.

The agent will also be a sorting ambassador, acting as a link between the association and local residents. His work will be supported by a fun and educational poster campaign designed to raise awareness among neighbouring residents.

By imagining the collection and processing of what will enrich its agricultural plots, the association is setting up a circular economy loop for bio-waste. It's yet another step towards transforming our lifestyles in line with the ecological transformation.