France will forbid the sale of straws, steak markers, disposable cup lids, meal trays, ice cream pots, salad bowls, boxes and drink stirrers made of conventional plastics as of 2020. The French Assemblée Nationale voted on Tuesday to amend national environmental law as part of the EGAlim law covering the agricultural and food sectors. The legislation has now been finally adopted.
The country’s Environment Act already included a ban on single-use plastic cups and plates. These products must be home compostable by 1 January 2020 and must also have at least some bio-based content.
The law passed on Tuesday also bars the use of plastic food containers for cooking, heating and service in cafeterias at educational institutions serving children and young adults. Eliminating the use of plastic containers in heated food preparation is intended to reduce student exposure to chemicals migrating from cooking containers into food. Large municipalities will have to implement the rule by 1 January 2025. Municipalities with fewer than 2,000 residents will have an additional three years.
The full article is available now to our online subscribers in our E-Paper edition.
