France Bans Plastic Cups, Plates and Cutlery to Protect Environment

 

Let me explain something truly simple.  Every plastic item in existence can be replaced with an equivalent product that will biodegrade easily enough.  Let us even treat this as a conjecture.  It really does not matter.

The difficulty for this cohort is that they must cost more for at least some time.  That means that in order to make real progress we have to ban plastic and make its use the actual regulated exception.  Thus we have plastic bottles with deposits to pay for recovery.

Perhaps a simple per ton recovery charge would also work.  Better yet make that recovery charge equal to wholesale plastic costs.  That may actually help.  We presently have an army of dumpster divers fishing out recyclables.  Collecting plastics would easily work.


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France Bans Plastic Cups, Plates and Cutlery to Protect Environment

Posted on September 19, 2016

Critics claim the new law violates European Union rules on free movement of goods.


Shehab Khan, Independent

http://wakingtimesmedia.com/france-bans-plastic-cups-plates-cutlery-protect-environment/

France has passed a new law to ensure all plastic cups, cutlery and plates can be composted and are made of biologically-sourced materials.

The law, which comes into effect in 2020, is part of the Energy Transition for Green Growth – an ambitious plan that aims to allow France to make a more effective contribution to tackling climate change.

Although some ecologists’ organisations are in favour of the ban, others argue that it has violated European Union rules on free movement of goods.

The law, which comes into effect in 2020, is part of the Energy Transition for Green Growth – an ambitious plan that aims to allow France to make a more effective contribution to tackling climate change.

Although some ecologists’ organisations are in favour of the ban, others argue that it has violated European Union rules on free movement of goods.


Pack2Go Europe, a Brussels-based organization representing European packaging manufacturers, says it will keep fighting the new law and hopes it doesn’t spread to the rest of the continent.

“We are urging the European Commission to do the right thing and to take legal action against France for infringing European law,” Pack2go Europe secretary general Eamonn Bates told The Associated Press. “If they don’t, we will.”

Mr Bates believes there is no proof the biologically-sourced materials are more environmentally beneficial and that the ban might make the situation worse as people may misunderstand the extent of degradability.

“[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,” he said.