The loi relative à la lutte contre le gaspillage et a l’économie circulaire (anti-waste and ruse-use economy law) officially came into force on February 11th 2020 with a target of zero single-use plastics by 2040.
But its changes were introduced gradually to give businesses time to prepare, with a new tranche of rules coming into effect from January 1st 2021.
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Throwing away non-hazardous waste that can be recycled (eg. plastics, cardboard, green waste) is being gradually prohibited.
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Aggressive advertising prohibited outside of sales, in an attempt to cut consumption. In reality France's laws on sales and discounting are already pretty strict, but this further limits them.
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New single-use plastic products are banned, whether they are entirely or just partly composed of plastic. This includes plates and cutlery, straws, stirrers, expanded polystyrene boxes (such as those used for take-aways or at fast food restaurants), lids used for take-away cups, plastic confetti and all objects made of oxo degradable plastic.
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Distribution of free plastic bottles in companies or public events is prohibited.
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Recycling containers have to be placed in supermarkets to allow customers to dispose of the packaging of their products.
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The production and distribution of single-use plastic bags is prohibited.
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Drinks served in a reusable cup presented by the customer must be sold at a cheaper price
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Large businesses of more than 400 m2 have to provide reusable containers (free or paying)
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Bulk retailers have to accept containers brought in by consumers
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Distributing promotional gifts in mailboxes is prohibited
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A network of drinking water fountains will be created in an attempt to cut the use of plastic bottles
A ban on plastic cups and Q-tips came into effect last year, thanks to a 2016 law on biodiversity, aimed at reducing the amount of plastic waste that ends up in the oceans.
Meanwhile, a ban on plastic wrapping for fruit and vegetables has been postponed for a year due to the pandemic.
From July, all restaurants will have to allow customers to bring their own containers for take-aways and doggy bags.
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