In 2015, France set an ambitious precedent by banning certain single-use plastic products. This campaign culminated in the enactment of the AGEC law, which aims to end single-use plastic packaging by 2040.
Despite these efforts, progress has been inconsistent, as indicated in a recent report by Zero Waste France.
“Although ongoing legal measures have been introduced, their effectiveness is hampered by a number of exemptions,” the report says. For example, although lightweight plastic bags were to be phased out from 2016, they are still in use.
Clarification from 2021 under the AGEC law banned the production, import or sale of these bags. However, exemptions for ultra-light bags, often used for hygiene purposes or loose food items, are still in place.
Even the thicker bags, which are outside the “single use” definition, avoid the ban. The unintended consequence is a shift towards these alternatives, increasing the amount of plastic in circulation.
According to the report, “The measures have had little effect on reducing single-use plastics, as thinner bags are still used and thicker ones are becoming more common. “
At EU level, the 2019 directive on single-use plastics introduced stricter guidelines. For example, the directive prohibits the use of plastic in disposable plates, even in small amounts, and extends this ban to items sold as a package, such as takeaway food.
However, the implementation of these measures has been uneven across member states.
Cups, however, are a different challenge. The EU directive does not ban plastic cups entirely but encourages a “significant and sustainable reduction” in their use.
France has taken steps to align with this directive, limiting the plastic content in cups to 8% from 2024. However, the AGEC law says further progress depends on demonstrating the feasibility of alternatives else plastic-free by 2026.
“Technical limitations still prevent the complete elimination of plastic in some products,” the report notes. For example, current solutions for waterproofing options often involve the use of substances such as PFAS, which are environmental concerns in their own right.
Zero Waste France emphasizes the need to move beyond single-use systems entirely. The report argues, “Replacing plastic with single-use alternatives perpetuates the same consumer and producer mentality.”
Products with lower plastic content often become multi-material, complicating recycling and reducing overall sustainability.
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