Effective since February 24, 2022, the EPR scheme for DIY and gardening articles, ABJ, stands out as one of the more complex schemes to come out of the AGEC law, due to how heterogeneous its products and stakeholders are.
Its scope covers four product families (painter’s tools, thermal machines, DIY equipment, and garden equipment), and its governance rests on two approved eco-organizations, Ecomaison and Valobat.
If your business is subject to this regulation, understanding the inclusion criteria, collection obligations, and current eco-contribution scales isn’t optional. This article walks through all three.
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🎯 TL;DR: The ABJ DIY and Garden Scheme
- ABJ covers four families: painter’s tools, thermal machines, DIY equipment, and garden equipment, based on the product itself, not its destination or buyer.
- Two eco-organizations, Ecomaison and Valobat, cover the same categories, coordinated by OCABJ, approved by decree in October 2024.
- In-store take-back has been mandatory since January 1, 2023, and the 2027 target is a network of over 6,000 EPR collection points nationally.
- A repair fund has existed since December 2021, ahead of most other EPR schemes, alongside mandatory environmental information display.
Short answer: if you manufacture, assemble, import, or resell under your own brand any painter’s tools, thermal or motorized equipment, hand tools, or garden products in France, you’re likely subject to ABJ. Because the scheme covers items by their intrinsic characteristics rather than who buys them or where they’re sold, multi-product companies need to check individual product lines carefully rather than assuming their whole catalog is in or out based on a single main category.
🔍 How We Checked This
The scope, defined by the decree of September 22, 2021, and the eco-organization approvals (Ecomaison, April 2022; Valobat, December 2023; OCABJ, October 2024) reflect the current specification at the time of writing. The collection network figures (15,000+ pallet boxes across 900 distributors, 1,400 public waste sites, and 40 professional waste sites in 2023; a target of 6,000+ collection points by 2027) and the ~90,000-ton collection target for 2027 reflect published figures at the time of writing; check current figures with your eco-organization.
🛠️ A Broad Scope Structured Into Four Families
A wide range of stakeholders facing a heterogeneous deposit
Operational since February 24, 2022, ABJ is one of the more heterogeneous EPR schemes in France. Its scope, set by the decree of September 22, 2021, covers four product families:
- Painter’s tools.
- Thermal machines and motorized devices.
- DIY equipment, including hand tools.
- Products and equipment for garden maintenance and landscaping.
A producer, for these purposes, is any natural or legal person who manufactures, assembles, imports, or introduces these items to the French market, including resellers marketing them under their own brand.
Boundary cases multi-product companies need to watch
ABJ works on product-based liability rather than destination: only a product’s intrinsic characteristics determine whether it’s in scope, regardless of distribution channel or who the final customer is. In practice, that means tools intended for major and minor construction sites, as well as professional green space equipment, fall within scope. Hardware, masonry arrangements, and products designed exclusively for industrial use are explicitly excluded.
These boundary areas create real declarative uncertainty for multi-product companies subject to ABJ, which have to make case-by-case calls using the criteria the approved eco-organizations published jointly in an updated scope note in 2025.
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🏢 Governance by Two Eco-Organizations, Coordinated by OCABJ
Ecomaison, Valobat, and the need for a coordinating body
ABJ is unusual in being run by two approved eco-organizations covering the same product categories, which required setting up a dedicated coordination mechanism. Ecomaison was the first ABJ eco-organization approved, for families 3 and 4, in April 2022. Valobat obtained approval for the same categories in December 2023, drawing on its position as a multi-scheme player already active in construction and furniture. To organize their coexistence and divide obligations without operational duplication, a dedicated coordinating body, OCABJ, was officially approved by decree in October 2024.
Eco-contribution calculation and eco-design modulation
ABJ eco-contributions rest on two main parameters: the specific handling costs for each product type, and recycling costs determined by material composition. Modulations refine this further, with bonuses for recycled material content and specific provisions for sustainable wood management, since wood makes up a significant share of the garden waste stream. Scales get updated regularly to keep pace with the scheme’s growth: Ecomaison revised its rates from January 1, 2025, aiming to hit the roughly 90,000-ton collection target set for 2027.
♻️ Reuse and Repair at the Heart of the Scheme
A growing collection network among distributors
The obligation to take back items in-store has applied to DIY and gardening articles since January 1, 2023, complementing public waste sites as the main entry points for the waste stream. To make collecting small products easier, dedicated pallet boxes have been deployed widely across distributor networks: more than 15,000 units installed in 2023 across 900 distributors, 1,400 public waste sites, and 40 professional waste sites. The regulatory target for 2027 is a network of over 6,000 EPR collection points for garden articles nationally, an ambition that explains the recent tariff revisions.
Repair and reuse as the scheme’s real differentiator
ABJ stands out for the central role it gives to repair, funded through a dedicated fund created in December 2021, well ahead of most other EPR schemes adopting similar measures. Networks of certified repairers have been built out to handle demand for sharpening cutting tools or repairing parasols and barbecues, while social and solidarity economy structures work actively to develop a reuse offer for end-of-life tools and equipment. Producers also have to display environmental information on their products, covering recycled material content, recyclability, and the possible presence of hazardous substances as defined by REACH.
💡 Tip: if your catalog spans both consumer and professional versions of similar tools, don’t assume the professional line is automatically excluded. ABJ’s product-based logic means a professional-grade version of an included product can still be in scope, unlike schemes that exclude by buyer or channel.
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❓ Frequently Asked Questions About the ABJ Scheme
Which eco-organization do I join for ABJ?
Both Ecomaison and Valobat are approved for the same categories, coordinated by OCABJ. Which one fits depends on your product mix and whether you’re already working with either on another scheme.
Are professional-use tools excluded from ABJ?
Not automatically. ABJ works on product characteristics, not the buyer or channel, so tools for major and minor construction sites and professional green space equipment can still fall within scope. Only hardware, masonry arrangements, and exclusively industrial-use products are explicitly excluded.
Do I have to take back products in-store?
Yes, in-store take-back for DIY and gardening articles has been mandatory since January 1, 2023.
How can I reduce my eco-contribution?
Incorporating recycled materials and, for wood-based products, following sustainable wood management practices both earn bonuses under the modulation system.
Is there a repair fund for DIY and garden products?
Yes, a repair fund has existed since December 2021, funding certified repairers for services like sharpening cutting tools or repairing parasols and barbecues.
Get Your ABJ Compliance Sorted
ABJ’s scope questions and dual eco-organization structure make it one of the trickier schemes to navigate alone, especially for companies with mixed consumer and professional product lines. Getting the boundary calls right the first time saves a lot of rework later.
Start your free trial with Ekovio to manage your ABJ compliance across Ecomaison and Valobat.
