France bans plastic cups
From 2020, the provision of disposable plastic tableware will be banned in France. The only exceptions are those made from compostable and bio-based plastics.
France is making headway in environmental protection: it is the first country in the world to ban disposable plastic tableware.
The Regulation, which was passed on August 31, prohibits not only the sale but also the use and distribution of plates, cutlery and cups made of plastic. There are exceptions, however: Compostable tableware, as well as those based on bioplastics, is still allowed. Companies and manufacturers have until January 1, 2020 to make the switch.
According to the French Journal "Les Echos" the French throw away 4.73 billion plastic cups a year - stacked on top of each other, this would make a pyramid 25 times taller than the Eiffel Tower. Only 1% of this is recycled, the majority ends up on garbage heaps or is incinerated.
Environmental comparison
However, it is by no means certain that plastic cups are always the worst option. Ceramic cups, for example, are much more energy-intensive to produce and heavier, which is reflected in the energy consumption for transport. According to a Dutch study Ceramic cups only more environmentally friendly if they are reused between 500 and 3000 times. The second alternative is cardboard cups. However, these are not necessarily much better: the plastic coating makes recycling difficult, and production is also much more energy and water intensive than with plastic cups.
The background to the ordinance is the 2015 "Energy Transition for Green Growth" law, which follows a ban on plastic bags that has been in effect since July.
