Have you ever seen your shower gel or water bottle not pass the security checks before taking the plane?
Since 2006, it has been forbidden to transport liquids or containers of more than 100 milliliters in the cabin.
Hygiene products, food, thousands of products collected every day by security companies are then destroyed, or set aside for those who can come back to collect them.
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In Nice, the Restos du Cœur have reached an agreement with the Nice Côte d'Azur airport security company to recover these returned objects.
For about three months, the association's volunteers have been going twice a week to terminal 2 of the airport, where they collect products of all kinds: shower gels, deodorants, but also cans of sardines or tapenade, nearly 70 kg of goods are collected every week, enough to make several hundred people happy in the various centers of the Alpes-Maritimes.
A give-and-take operation
Among these products, there are approximately “
one third of food, one third of hygiene products and one third of drinks
”, according to René Clausse, manager of one of the centers in Nice.
An interesting operation insofar as these products cost the association nothing except travel expenses, and bring happiness to hundreds of beneficiaries.
“
Rather than seeing these products destroyed, it seemed obvious to us to propose this agreement.
In addition, the customs officers explain to people whose objects are turned back that they will be given to a charity association
, ”he adds.
If the frequency of collection is established at two visits per week, volunteers are even called punctually when stocks overflow.
It also happens that the association recovers quality local products that travelers wish to take home.
Olive oil, terrine, anchovy puree from Nice, but also bottles of wine for drinks.
“
Food products that have been opened are of course not distributed.
On the other hand, our beneficiaries do not mind getting back a branded shampoo that has already been opened
,” the representative explained.
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Other unusual products also sometimes come along to delight the beneficiaries: “
Last month, we got three brand new irons!
», rejoices René Clausse.
The latter even hopes to extend the operation to Terminal 1, which was closed for a long time due to the health crisis.
“
We have a meeting next Monday to discuss with the T1 security company, which is different from that of T2.
We harvest about 70kg per week.
With T1, we could collect more than double
,” he concludes.
