Ceramic WCs, washbasins, bidets, baths, shower trays and vanity tops are category 1 construction products (family 1.h), so the producer pays Ecominéro or Valobat. The two scales count differently: Ecominéro by weight (€13.43 a tonne), Valobat per unit sold. Heavy pieces tend to cost less per unit at Valobat, light ones at Ecominéro. Taps, mixers and metal accessories are category 2, which Ecominéro does not cover: a brand that sells a full bathroom range can hold one contract at Valobat, which is approved for both categories, instead of two.Sources (6)
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
EcomaisonEcomaison — Guide des tarifs Bâtiment, 1er juillet 2026
The rates, side by side
| Eco-organisme | Product line (code) | Eco-contribution excl. VAT | Rate applies from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ecominéro | Bathtub, shower tray, sink, basin, toilet, bidet | €13.43 / tonne | 1 Aug 2026 Ecominéro |
| Valobat | Toilet pack (free-standing or wall-mounted) (080500900) | €0.35 / unit | 1 Jul 2026 Valobat |
| Valobat | Washbasin (free-standing or suspended) (080500600) | €0.20 / unit | 1 Jul 2026 Valobat |
| Valobat | Sinks and washbasins (080500800) | €0.11 / unit | 1 Jul 2026 Valobat |
| Valobat | Bidet (080500400) | €0.15 / unit | 1 Jul 2026 Valobat |
| Valobat | Bathtub (080500200) | €1.21 / unit | 1 Jul 2026 Valobat |
| Valobat | Shower tray (080501500) | €1.29 / unit | 1 Jul 2026 Valobat |
| Valobat | Bathroom worktop (080501300) | €0.47 / unit | 1 Jul 2026 Valobat |
| Valobat | Heating and sanitary taps, fittings and measurements (080501700) | €0.03 / unit | 1 Jul 2026 Valobat |
| Ecomaison | Electrical, heating, air and sanitary: Metal > 95% | €15.00 / tonne | 1 Jul 2026 Ecomaison |
Worked example
Worked example: a bathroom brand sells 10,000 WC packs (about 20 kg each), 8,000 washbasins (about 15 kg) and 3,000 ceramic shower trays (about 25 kg) in France. Ecominéro charges by weight, Valobat by unit. 
ADEME
| Product | Eco-organisme | Calculation | Eco-contribution a year |
|---|---|---|---|
| WC packs | Ecominéro | 200 tonnes × €13.43 Ecominéro | €2,686 |
| Washbasins | Ecominéro | 120 tonnes × €13.43 Ecominéro | €1,612 |
| Shower trays | Ecominéro | 75 tonnes × €13.43 Ecominéro | €1,007 |
| WC packs | Valobat | 10,000 units × €0.35 Valobat | €3,500 |
| Washbasins | Valobat | 8,000 units × €0.20 Valobat | €1,600 |
| Shower trays | Valobat | 3,000 units × €1.29 Valobat | €3,870 |
Ecominéro, by weight: €5,305. Valobat, by unit: €8,970. The result turns on your real unit weights; give us the weight of each reference and we run both. If you also sell taps and accessories, add the category 2 cost to the Ecominéro side, because Ecominéro cannot take them. Journal officiel
One contract or two
Ecominéro is approved for category 1 only; Ecomaison and Valdelia for category 2 only; Valobat for both. A bathroom brand with ceramics and metal taps has three set-ups: Valobat for everything; Ecominéro for ceramics plus Ecomaison or Valdelia for taps; or split by product line where it pays. Each contract means its own declarations and invoices. Journal officiel
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
- Running your references through per-tonne and per-unit scales to pick the cheaper one.
- Avoiding a second contract where one at Valobat covers ceramics and fittings. ADEME
- Keeping electrical items (electric towel rails, shower pumps, electric WC) out of the construction declaration: they are electrical equipment, a separate stream.
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 acrylic baths or resin shower trays category 1?
No. Category 1 is mainly mineral products. Plastic sanitary ware is category 2 (family 2.f). Mineral-cast basins and trays have a line at Ecominéro (€13.43 a tonne). ADEME
Is a shower-WC with electronics a building product?
Electrical and electronic equipment is its own EPR stream. Products in another EPR stream are excluded from PMCB. ADEME
Do I declare the WC seat separately?
Declare the product as sold. Valobat's WC line is per toilet pack, free-standing or wall-mounted. ADEME
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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