French recycling ventures expand book and sports equipment reuse

Lirandco Recyclage, a spin‑off of the Ardèche‑based online used‑book retailer Lirandco, was launched in 2026 to industrialise the sorting and recycling of second‑hand books. In its first four years the parent company recovered about 200 000 titles, turning roughly 200 tonnes of books into paper pulp. The new entity aims to collect, recycle or repurpose 43 000 tonnes of books over the next decade and is seeking investment, with discussions underway with the French environmental agency ADEME, the Green Fund and the public investment bank Bpifrance.

The Recyclerie Sportive de Lyon, which has operated in the La Duchère district since 2021, is preparing to open a second solidarity shop in Villeurbanne in 2026. In 2025 the organisation gathered 9.8 tonnes of sports equipment, achieving an 86 % reuse rate. Items are collected, repaired, and either sold in its shops or up‑cycled, with 256 bicycles repaired and numerous co‑repair sessions held. The initiative partners with local associations and businesses to divert equipment from waste streams and promote a circular economy around sport.