What SMECTOM DU PLANTAUREL does

SMECTOM du Plantaurel is a public intercommunal syndicate (Syndicat Mixte de Collecte et de Traitement des Ordures Ménagères) operating in the Ariège department of France. Founded in 1987 and headquartered in Varilhes, the organization delivers integrated municipal waste management services across 144 communes in the Plantaurel territory. Its operational scope spans door-to-door household waste collection, separate packaging collection, drop-off point networks, household waste recycling centers (déchèteries), a sorting center (Centre de Tri du Plantaurel), a non-hazardous waste landfill (ISDND de Berbiac), and a green-waste composting platform. Supporting infrastructure includes access cards, online user portals (Ecocito platform), equipment lending programs (chippers, reusable dishware, individual composters), and educational site visits.

The syndicate's business model is tax-funded rather than commercial. Its primary revenue stream is the Taxe d'Enlèvement des Ordures Ménagères (TEOM), replaced from January 1, 2024 by the incitative variant (TEOMi), which combines a fixed fiscal component with a variable charge tied to actual household waste output. Pricing for ancillary services is unit-based or free: individual composter kits sell at a preferential rate of €22, professional déchèterie access is volume-capped at 5,000 liters/year, and most equipment lending, site visits, and reemployment zones are provided without charge. Residents of the 144 communes are the primary customer segment, complemented by professional waste producers, local collectivités/associations, schools, and tourist accommodations. The organization is governed by a Comité Syndical of delegates appointed from member communes, with Florence ROUCH serving as Présidente.

The technology stack is conventional public-sector IT: a WordPress CMS-based website with managed hosting by OVH and development/maintenance by Cr\u00e9asit, including an RGAA accessibility audit. Core operational assets are physical (déchèteries, sorting line, landfill, composting windrows, drop-off containers) rather than software-defined. There is no indication of proprietary digital platforms beyond the standard Ecocito user portal. Partnerships with Emmaüs Pamiers, La Ressourcerie de Foix, La Ressourcerie de Les Bordes-sur-Arize, PROLOC, and Bio Ariège Garonne support the circular-economy ecosystem (reemployment zones, chipper lending, food-waste training).

Name

SMECTOM DU PLANTAUREL

Legal name

SMECTOM du Plantaurel

Website

https://smectom.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

SMECTOM du Plantaurel is a public intercommunal waste management syndicate serving 144 communes in Ariège, France. It provides household waste collection, sorting, composting, and landfill services funded primarily through the TEOMi local tax, with free déchèterie access and equipment lending for residents.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Municipal Waste Management

NAICS

Solid Waste Collection (562111), Waste Collection (5621), Waste Collection (56211), Materials Recovery Facilities (56292), Hazardous Waste Collection (562112), Other Nonhazardous Waste Treatment and Disposal (562219)

SIC

Refuse Systems (4953), Sanitary Services (4950), Hazardous Waste Management (4955)

akta.pro primary industry

Municipal Solid Waste Collection (Residential/Commercial) (IMAIAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Plastics Sorting & Recovery Facilities (PRF) (EUAIADAE), Hazardous Waste & Universal Waste Handling (Batteries, Lamps, Aerosols) (BPABALAE), Solid Waste & Recycling Services Administration (BPAIACAH)

Keywords

• Municipal waste collection
• Waste sorting services
• Recycling facility management
• Household waste treatment
• Public waste services

Headquarters

HQ city

Varilhes

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Taxe d'Enlèvement des Ordures Ménagères (TEOM): The primary funding mechanism is the TEOM, a local tax levied on property owners based on the rental value of their property. This is a recurring annual tax that funds the public waste collection and treatment service across the 144 communes.
2. TEOMi - Taxe d'Enlèvement des Ordures Ménagères incitative: From January 1, 2024, the TEOM was replaced by the TEOMi, which includes both a fiscal component (TEOM) and a variable component tied to actual annual service consumption, creating a usage-based incentive for residents to reduce waste.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

SMECTOM du Plantaurel operates a public waste collection and treatment service across 144 communes in the Ariège department of France. The syndicate provides door-to-door household waste collection, selective sorting through drop-off points, eight déchèteries (recycling centers), a sorting facility (Centre de Tri), a composting platform, and a non-hazardous waste landfill, complemented by equipment lending (composters, broyeurs), waste reduction education, and incentive-based taxation (TEOMi).

Product overview

SMECTOM du Plantaurel is a public waste collection and treatment syndicate operating across 144 communes in Ariège (department 09), France. The organization offers an integrated portfolio of waste management services centered on three core offerings: (1) Collection services including household waste, packaging recycling, and selective collection at points d'apport volontaire; (2) Seven déchèteries providing free disposal and recycling for residents; and (3) Processing infrastructure including the Centre de Tri du Plantaurel at Varilhes, the ISDND de Berbiac landfill at Manses, and a green waste composting platform. Supporting these core operations, the organization provides equipment programs (individual and shared composters at preferential rates, free broyeur lending with mandatory training), access control systems (carte d'accès), and incentive-based pricing (TEOMi). Additional services include educational resources such as reusable dish loans for events, waste reduction exhibitions, free site visits to treatment facilities, and professional training programs on eco-responsibility and food waste reduction. The offering functions as a unified public service platform rather than discrete commercial products, with services accessible through physical infrastructure (déchèteries, collection points), online portals (espace usager), and educational programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Collecte des ordures ménagères Door-to-door collection of residual household waste for residents across 144 communes in Ariège, provided through individual bins distributed by the syndicate on a recurring even/odd week calendar.
• Collecte des emballages (sélective) Separate collection of packaging waste via yellow bins and récup'emballages drop-off points; materials are sorted at the Centre de Tri du Plantaurel before shipment to specialized recycling plants.
• Déchèteries (household waste recycling centers) Eight déchèteries (Foix, Varilhes, Arignac, VDO, Les Bordes, Lérat, Le Fossat) offering free disposal of bulky items, green waste, hazardous waste, construction debris, and other materials for residents; access requires a déchèterie access card; professionals are subject to volume limits (5,000L/year equivalent) and specific tariffs.
• Centre de Tri du Plantaurel (sorting center) Sorting facility at Varilhes (CTE de Las Plantos) that processes packaging deposited in yellow bins and récup'emballages, sorting materials by type before shipment to specialized recycling plants.
• ISDND de Berbiac (landfill) Installation de Stockage des Déchets Non Dangereux (non-hazardous waste storage facility) located in Manses, handling residual household waste that cannot be recycled or composted. Includes a pedagogical visit pathway for public education.
• Plateforme de compostage des déchets verts Green waste composting platform at Varilhes where vegetation waste from déchèteries is sorted, shredded, and arranged in windrows for aerobic fermentation, producing compost available free to residents for garden use.
• Zones de réemploi (reemployment zones) Reuse zones at déchèteries where residents can deposit reusable or repairable objects (furniture, dishes, tools, electronics). Operated in partnership with Emmaüs Pamiers, La Ressourcerie de Foix, and La Ressourcerie de Les Bordes-sur-Arize for collection, repair, and resale.
• Sites de compostage partagé Shared composting sites installed in town centers, collective housing, and tourist accommodations. 250+ sites deployed since 2018 to enable kitchen and garden bio-waste sorting at the neighborhood level; SMECTOM installs and maintains sites while residents serve as volunteer site managers.
• Prêt de broyeurs (chipper lending) Free lending service for garden wood chippers (broyeurs) to residents and communities, available at Varilhes and via PROLOC in Pays d'Olmes. Mandatory free training session required before borrowing.
• Prêt de vaisselle réutilisable Free loan service for reusable plates and goblets (12cl and 25cl) for community events, subject to a written convention with SMECTOM; €1 compensation per missing or damaged item.
• Exposition 'Réduction des déchets' Ten-panel colored educational exhibition available for loan to events, covering packaging sorting, composting, food waste, and zero pesticide practices.
• Visites de sites (guided site visits) Free guided public tours of the Centre de Tri (sorting center), ISDND de Berbiac (landfill), composting platform, and déchèteries. Open to the public (minimum age 8) and to schools, businesses, and associations by appointment.
• Formation éco-exemplarité et gaspillage alimentaire Training and support for establishments (schools, businesses, associations) on eco-responsibility, waste reduction, and food waste evaluation, with optional accompaniment from Bio Ariège Garonne.
• Formation au broyage Free mandatory training sessions on chipping techniques and safe use of garden shredders for residents and communities before borrowing broyeur equipment.
• Carte d'accès usager (resident access card) Access card issued to residents to enter déchèteries and deposit bags in collective containers; linked to an online Ecocito account for tracking visits and consumption under the TEOMi incentive pricing system.
• Composteurs individuels Individual composting kits available for purchase at a preferential rate of €22, including a 400L or 570L wooden composter (depending on household size) and a bioseau for kitchen waste; distributed at permanence sites in Varilhes, Villeneuve d'Olmes, Le Fossat, and Cadirac.

Quantifiable outcome

• 56 tonnes of reemployment zone deposits in 2023 (up from 14 tonnes in 2022), with 50% of deposited items finding second life through reuse or repair
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Emmaüs PamierscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 April 2024Emmaüs Pamiers is partnered with SMECTOM for the operation of reemployment zones at déchèteries. They handle collection, repair, and resale of reusable objects and electrical/electronic equipment deposited at the reemployment zones. Emmaüs manages items from the Fossat déchètery zone specifically, contributing to the circular economy on the territory.
• PROLOC (Laroque d'Olmes)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2022A convention was signed with PROLOC, an enterprise located in Laroque d'Olmes, to provide grinder lending services to residents of the Communauté de Communes du Pays d'Olmes. This makes grinder loans more accessible locally, removing the need for residents in this area to travel to the Varilhes site.
• La Ressourcerie de FoixcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2022La Ressourcerie de Foix is one of the reemployment partners that collects and manages reusable objects deposited at the first six reemployment zones opened at SMECTOM déchèteries between May 2022 and February 2023.
• La Ressourcerie de Les Bordes-sur-ArizecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2022La Ressourcerie de Les Bordes-sur-Arize collects and manages reusable objects deposited at the reemployment zones at déchèteries on the SMECTOM territory.
• Lavelanet (actor)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2022Lavelanet-based actor participates in the reemployment zone network at SMECTOM déchèteries, managing collection of reusable items.
• Bio Ariège GaronneminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBio Ariège Garonne partners with SMECTOM for a co-accompaniment program on food within establishments, complementing SMECTOM's food waste evaluation and reduction services for schools, collectivités, and associations.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Sydeme: Public waste treatment and transport syndicate in Moselle-Est operating sorting, composting, methanization, and landfill infrastructure for member communes. Comparable integrated service model and rural-to-semi-urban footprint.
• SITREVA: Public waste management syndicate in the Yvelines department operating household waste collection, déchèteries, sorting, and treatment. Comparable in public syndicate structure, TEOM funding, and integrated service portfolio.
• Decoset: Intercommunal public syndicate providing household waste collection, déchèteries, and treatment services in the Toulouse metropolitan area. Comparable as a public syndicate using TEOM-based funding and serving mixed urban-rural communes.
• SMD3 (Syndicat Mixte Départemental des Déchets de la Dordogne): Public intercommunal waste management syndicate covering a similarly rural French department with integrated collection, déchèteries, sorting, and landfill operations. Highly comparable in structure, scale, and TEOMi-style funding model.
• TRIFYL: French public syndicate (Tarn, Aveyron, parts of Hérault) operating household waste treatment, sorting, composting, and landfill services across multiple rural communes. Comparable in public syndicate governance and integrated waste value chain.

Broad incumbents

• Suez (waste management division): Major private waste management operator with collection, recycling, and treatment services across Europe. Comparable in the full waste value chain but at significantly larger scale and with private commercial contracts rather than public monopoly mandate.
• SYCTOM (Paris metropolitan waste agency): Largest French intercommunal waste agency serving the Paris metropolitan area. Comparable as a public waste syndicate operating household waste treatment, sorting, and recovery, but at vastly greater scale and urban density.
• Veolia Environnement: Global waste management incumbent operating household and hazardous waste collection, sorting, and treatment at scale. Comparable in waste management services offered but operates as a large private/public utility rather than a localized public syndicate.
• Séché Environnement: French-headquartered waste management company specializing in hazardous and non-hazardous waste treatment, sorting, and landfill recovery. Comparable in landfill and sorting operations but operates as a private firm rather than a public syndicate.

Others

• CITEO: French eco-organisme managing producer responsibility for household packaging and graphic paper recycling. While not a direct operator, CITEO is a key counterpart and financial partner for any French household waste syndicate, including SMECTOM, in the sorting and recycling value chain.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCsmDv8G4Z2JFGZQUoSD4Xhw
• Facebookfacebook.com/Smectomreduisonsnosdechets
• Instagraminstagram.com/smectom_reduisons_nos_dechets

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SMECTOM DU PLANTAUREL