And with one law…picnics were a thing of the past.
The amount of washing up is set to increase in France, but more importantly, the harmful effect of non-recyclable plastic will reduce.
France passed a new law to ensure all plastic cups, cutlery and plates can be composted and are made of biologically-sourced materials, the Independent reports.
The law, set to come into effect in 2020, is part of their Energy Transition for Green Growth initiative to increase France’s contribution to improving climate change.
Many ecologists’ organisations are in favour of the ban and hope that the rest of the continent will follow suit, but Pack2Go Europe, a Brussels-based organization representing European packaging manufacturers, is obviously worried about the law’s impact on the packaging industry and is arguing that it has violated European Union rules on free movement of goods.
Pack2go Europe secretary general Eamonn Bates said:
We are urging the European Commission to do the right thing and to take legal action against France for infringing European law.
If they don’t, we will.
Mr Bates thinks there is no proof the biologically-sourced materials are more environmentally beneficial.
He went on:
[The ban will] be understood by consumers to mean that it is okay 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.
