Recycling challenge: 4 campsites in Vendée awarded for waste reduction efforts

With the goal of drastically reducing the amount of household waste produced and raising awareness among vacationers about the importance of recycling, campsites in the French department of Vendée participated last year in the first “recycling challenge”.

This initiative, launched by Veolia Recyclage et Valorisation des Déchets Centre-Ouest (the French waste management company) in collaboration with the Fédération Vendéenne de l’Hôtellerie de Plein Air (FVHPA), took place in the summer of 2023 and involved 90 campsites in Vendée. This region already stands out nationally for its excellent waste recycling results but suffers during the summer season due to the massive presence of tourists. Therefore, the campsites in Vendée made a serious effort to maintain high ecological standards, particularly during the summer.

The strong participation in this first edition of the recycling challenge (90 out of 350 campsites in the department) demonstrated once again the sector’s interest in environmental issues. The results were impressive: the efforts of the managers reduced household waste production by 114.6 tons, a significant achievement equivalent to avoiding the production of 44 tons of CO2.

Among the participants in this initial initiative, 4 campsites particularly stood out and were awarded for their waste reduction results. These excellent results demonstrate how these campsites successfully developed a strongly eco-responsible approach towards the environment.

Here are the 4 awarded campsites: Camping Bellevue (La Tranche-sur-Mer) and Le Petit Rocher (Longeville-sur-Mer), which received the award for the largest reduction in residual waste volume after source separation per pitch (with 843 and 390 liters less waste collected per pitch, respectively); La Grisse (Le Givre) and La Grande Vallée (La Tranche-sur-Mer), which received the award for the lowest volume of residual waste after source separation per pitch (with 174 and 137 liters of waste collected per pitch, respectively).

The awards ceremony, held on June 18, was also the occasion to launch the second edition of the initiative. The goal is to surpass the success of the first edition and further spread eco-sustainable best practices.