In 2015, France set a good example by banning certain single-use plastic products. This initiative culminated in the enactment of the AGEC law, which aims for the complete elimination of single-use plastic packaging by 2040.
Despite these efforts, progress has been inconsistent, as revealed by the latest Zero Waste France report.
“Although successive legal measures have been introduced, their effectiveness has been hampered by repeated exemptions,” said the report. For example, although lightweight plastic bags were supposed to be phased out from 2016, their use continues.
The 2021 clarification under the AGEC law prohibits the production, importation, or sale of these bags. However, the release of light bags, which are often used for hygiene purposes or loose food, remains in place.
Even thick bags, which fall outside the definition of “single use”, escape the ban. The unintended consequence is a shift to these alternatives, which increases the total volume of plastic in circulation.
According to the report, “These measures have had a negative impact on reducing the single use of plastic, as thin bags are still used and thick ones are becoming more common.”
At the EU level, the 2019 directive on single-use plastics provided strict guidance. For example, the directive prohibits the use of plastic on disposable plates, even in small amounts, and extends this ban to items sold as packages, such as food for sale.
However, the implementation of these measures has been uneven in all member states.
However, cups present a different challenge. The EU directive does not ban plastic cups outright but encourages a “dramatic and continuous reduction” in their use.
France has taken steps to comply with this directive, limiting the plastic content of cups to 8% from 2024. However, AGEC’s rule states that further progress depends on demonstrating the feasibility of plastic-free alternatives by 2026.
“Technological constraints continue to prevent the complete elimination of plastic from certain products,” the report notes. For example, current solutions for waterproofing alternatives often include the use of substances such as PFAS, which pose their own environmental concerns.
Zero Waste France emphasizes the need to go beyond completely single-use systems. The report states, “Replacing plastic with other single-use materials drives the same consumer perception and production.”
Products with reduced plastic are often multi-component, making them difficult to recycle and reducing overall sustainability.
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