France bans plastic cups, plates and cutlery

France has passed a new law which requires all plastic cups, cutlery and plates to be made of biologically-sourced, compost material, according to a report by The Independent.

News Deskbdnews24.com
Published : 1 March 2017, 09:07 AM
Updated : 1 March 2017, 09:07 AM

The law is part of an ambitious plan known as Energy Transition for Green Growth, and is set to take effect in 2020. The government hopes it could make an effective contribution to tackling climate change.

However, critics of the law argue that it violates the European Union’s rules on the free movement of goods.

Pack2Go Europe, which represents European packaging industry , vows to fight the law and prevent it from taking effect in other countries.

“We are urging the European Commission to do the right thing and to take legal action against France for infringing European law,” The Independent quotes Pack2Go Europe secretary general Eamonn Bates as saying. “If they don’t, we will.”

Bates says there is no proof biologically-sourced materials would be better for the environment. Instead, he argues, the law may make the situation worse by convincing consumers the products are more easily biodegradable than they seem.

“[The ban will] be understood by consumers to mean that it is OK to leave this packaging behind in the countryside after use because it's easily bio-degradable in nature. That's nonsense! It may even make the litter problem worse."