As you may know, at the beginning of 2021, the anti-waste law is back in the news again as she adds new items to her list of already banned single-use plastic products.
From 1st January 2021, the following items have therefore been banned :
- Straws
- Disosable cutlery
- Stirrers
- Lid for take-away cups
- Expanded polystyrene boxes (fast-food boxes)
- Steak pick
- Balloons rods
- Plastic confetti
- Oxodegradable plastic objects
But beyond these bans, other measure are also in place to limit the quantity of plastic wastes.
For example, the ban on the free distribution of plastic bottles in publics establishment or business premises.
In the same topic, the obligation to use platic bottles at festive, cultural or sproting events is also prohibited.
On the bulk consumer side, recycle bins will be set up in supermarkets in order to collect the packaging of the products purchased.
And of course, the manufacturing or importation of single-use plastic bags is completely forbidden.
Other solutions are available.
Faced with these new prohibitions, other solutions are developing. The objective is to limit the use of disposable plastic with the sale in bulk or the use of reusable containers.
In fact, in order to promote the circular economy, consumers are invited to bring their own reusable containers to stores. Of course, the containers must be adapted to the product purchased, and shopkeepers will also be able to offer reusable containers to their customers.
About supermarkets, hypermarkets and other superstores (stores >400m²), they will have to offer their customers clean and adapted reusable containers.
Finally, take-away drink stores must offer decrease their price for consumers bringing their own reusable container.
Simple gestures that allow us to act daily to free ourselves from waste and preserve our natural resources.
Reminder on the anti-waste law
Unanimously adopted by the Senate in January 2020, the anti-waste law is meant to transform our linear economy to a circular economy.
It’s built around 5 main lines :
- Suppress the disposable plastic by progressively forbidding all plastic wrapping and other everyday objects and by developping other solution like bulk selling.
- To better inform consumers.
- Restrain waste and develop solidarity-based re-employment by forbidding the destruction of unsold non-food items, the sale of medicines by the unit and the systematic printing of receipts.
- Fight the programmed obsolescence by setting up a durability index and promoting the use of spare parts.
- Produce in a more responsible way by raising the awareness of manufacturers in their waste management and encouraging environmentally friendly products.
As a reminder, the long-term objective is to suppress all single-use plastic by 2040. Pour rappel, l’objectif à long terme est de faire totalement disparaitre les plastiques à usage unique d’ici 2040.
Twenty years to create new consumption habits and bannish plastic.
Our planet will thank us !
For more information : https://www.ecologie.gouv.fr/loi-anti-gaspillage-economie-circulaire-1