Ceramic and porcelain tiles are category 1 construction products (family 1.h, ceramics), and the producer pays Ecominéro or Valobat. On the published scales Ecominéro charges €1.26 a tonne for ceramic wall, floor and ceiling coverings and Valobat €3.12 a tonne for tiling. For a tile exporter that difference is most of the bill. A maker established outside France joins through a representative established in France (article L. 541-10-9-1); otherwise each French importer or distributor pays instead.Sources (5)
Ministère de la Transition éMinistère de la Transition écologique — Produits et matériaux de construction du secteur du bâtiment (PMCB), page mise à jour le 24 novembre 2025Journal officielJournal officiel — Avis relatif au champ d'application de la filière REP PMCB, JO du 17 juin 2023 (NOR TREP2315866V)
LégifranceLégifrance — article L. 541-10-9-1 of the Environmental Code (full text)EcominéroEcominéro — Barème à compter du 1er août 2026ValobatValobat — barèmes PMCB
What is covered
Family 1.h of the 2023 scope notice covers ceramics: wall, floor and ceiling coverings indoor and outdoor, and sanitary ceramics (baths, shower trays, washbasins, WCs, bidets, vanity tops). Terracotta floor tiles are family 1.d (fired clay). Glass tiles are category 2. Tile adhesive and grout are separate products, category 2 family 2.c (mortars, renders, adhesives), not category 1: see adhesives and mortars. Journal officiel
The rates, side by side
| Eco-organisme | Product line (code) | Eco-contribution excl. VAT | Rate applies from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ecominéro | Wall, floor and ceiling coverings | €1.26 / tonne | 1 Aug 2026 Ecominéro |
| Valobat | Tiling (070101300) | €3.12 / tonne | 1 Jul 2026 Valobat |
| Ecominéro | Floor coverings | €1.35 / tonne | 1 Aug 2026 Ecominéro |
| Valobat | Skirting boards, profiles, nosings or thresholds in ceramic, stone or clay (070300300) | €0.01 / metre | 1 Jul 2026 Valobat |
Worked example
Worked example: a tile factory outside France sells 1,500 tonnes of porcelain floor and wall tiles a year to French distributors.
| Product | Eco-organisme | Calculation | Eco-contribution a year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ceramic tiles | Ecominéro | 1,500 tonnes × €1.26 Ecominéro | €1,890 |
| Ceramic tiles | Valobat | 1,500 tonnes × €3.12 Valobat | €4,680 |
The same 1,500 tonnes cost €1,890 at Ecominéro and €4,680 at Valobat, a difference of €2,790 a year. Check the declaration rhythm too: Ecominéro asks for monthly declarations, Valobat one a year. Sources (2)ValobatValobat — barèmes PMCBEcominéroEcominéro — Barème à compter du 1er août 2026
Who is the producer
Under article R. 543-290 of the Environmental Code, the producer is whoever manufactures or has manufactured the product under its own name or brand for use in buildings in France, or imports it or first places it on the French market. The 2023 scope notice names three importers: a French site's client buying abroad, a contractor buying abroad to install, and a distributor buying abroad. Each of them pays “sauf si elles sont en mesure de prouver que l'exportateur a lui-même contribué”, unless they can prove the exporter already contributed. A foreign manufacturer that joins an eco-organisme itself, through a representative established in France (article L. 541-10-9-1, mandatory since 10 July 2026), takes that cost and paperwork off its French customers. Distributors increasingly ask for that proof. Sources (2)LégifranceLégifrance — article L. 541-10-9-1 of the Environmental Code (full text)Journal officielJournal officiel — Avis relatif au champ d'application de la filière REP PMCB, JO du 17 juin 2023 (NOR TREP2315866V)
How a representative saves you money here
- Choosing the scheme: at these rates Ecominéro costs €2,790 a year less for 1,500 tonnes of tiles. Ecominéro
- Keeping tile adhesives and grouts, if you sell them, on their own category 2 lines instead of mixing them into the tile tonnage. Journal officiel
- Declaring tiles only once: when you join, your distributors stop paying as importers, provided they can show you contributed.
What we need from you
- Company name, registration and VAT numbers, and the person who signs
- Your product list with the eco-organisme product code for each line (we map it with you)
ADEME - Quantities placed on the French market per line, in the unit the line uses (tonne, m³, m², metre or unit), for the past year and an estimate for the coming one
- Who your French customers are (distributors, contractors, end clients), to settle who is the producer for each flow
Price
Our fee. Construction products are quoted separately, because the work depends on the eco-organisme (Ecominéro takes monthly declarations, Valobat one a year) and on your tonnage. Plus Pro starts at €990 a year for up to 10 tonnes; above that we send a written quote. Setup is €0. Eco-contributions go to the eco-organisme at its published rate, with 0% markup. See pricing or the construction products service.
Frequently asked questions
Are porcelain stoneware tiles ceramics?
Yes. Porcelain stoneware is a ceramic floor and wall covering, family 1.h.
I also sell skirting in ceramic. Same line?
Valobat has a separate per-metre line for skirting in ceramic, stone or clay (€0.01 a metre). Ecominéro declares ceramic coverings by weight. ADEME
Can I use Ecomaison for tiles?
No. Ecomaison is approved for category 2. Ceramic tiles are category 1: Ecominéro or Valobat. Sources (2)ADEMEADEME — Filière REP PMCB : éco-organismes agréés, donnéesADEMEADEME — Filière REP Éléments d'ameublement (EA)
Razvan Toma is the founder of EPR France Rep, a France-established authorised representative (mandataire) for producers with no French establishment. He has worked in waste management and recycling since 2009, running waste-separation programmes inside large B2B organisations in France for clients including Chanel, Microsoft, Decathlon, Pirelli, IKEA, Vinci, Capgemini and E.Leclerc.
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