Prohibition of certain plastics (single-use, microplastics, etc.)

Verified 14 November 2024 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

The use of certain plastics is limited or prohibited, in order to limit their impact on the environment. Many products are concerned: packaging, single-use plastic bags, disposable tableware, cotton sticks, tea bags, cosmetics, etc.

Affected Bags

Some single-use plastic bags are prohibited.

Single-use plastic bags intended for the packaging of goods at the point of sale, having all of the following characteristics:

  • With or without handles
  • Plastic compounds
  • Supplied to consumers at points of sale of goods or products
  • Of a thickness of less than 50 microns

Plastic bags of less than 15 microns thickness necessary for hygiene purposes or supplied as packaging for bulk food are included in this definition.

This prohibition applies to:

  • Manufacture for distribution in France
  • Sale
  • Gift free of charge

Please note

The bags compostable in domestic composting and consisting of at least 50% of bio-based materials are authorized, including single-use plastic bags intended for the packaging of goods at the point of sale.

Penalty provided for

Failure to comply with the prohibition on the manufacture, sale or donation of single-use plastic bags shall be punishable by fine a maximum of €3,000 (natural person) or €15,000 (legal person).

Dishes for single use

The single-use plastic products following are prohibited :

  • Disposable plastic cups and glasses with a plastic content exceeding 8%
  • Cups and glasses consisting wholly or partly of expanded polystyrene, including their closures and lids
  • Disposable glass lids
  • Disposable plates consisting wholly or partly of plastic, including those with plastic film
  • Straws (excluding for medical use)
  • Steak Spades
  • Cutlery: forks, knives, spoons, sticks, etc.
  • Beverage mixing sticks
  • Expanded polystyrene food containers for on-site or nomadic consumption
  • Expanded polystyrene beverage containers, including their caps and lids
  • Expanded polystyrene beverage bottles

This applies to the sale and the free donation of these products.

The prohibition also applies to all plastic products that have performance characteristics of durability (single use), strength, and strength comparable to those of single use products.

Please note

Cups and glasses and disposable kitchen plates for the table shall contain at least 50% of materials biosources.

Other plastic products

The following plastic products are also prohibited :

  • Balloon support rods and mechanisms therefor, except rods and mechanisms for industrial or professional uses and applications and not intended for distribution to consumers.
  • Coated sticks for domestic use (cotton bud) with plastic shafts, except those for medical use
  • Confetti
  • Products, packaging or bags manufactured, in whole or in part, from oxo-degradable plastic are prohibited
  • Non-biodegradable plastic tea and tea bags
  • Plastic toys as part of children's menus

This applies to the sale and the free donation of these products.

The ban also applies to all plastic products that have comparable durability, strength, and strength performance to single-use products.

Penalty provided for

In the event of non-compliance with the prohibition on the sale and free donation of single-use plastic products, a penalty is planned.

It's from €1,500 fine (natural person) or €7,500 fine (legal person).

Establishments that can simultaneously serve 20 or more persons must serve meals and beverages consumed within the establishment in cups, including their closures and lids, plates and containers reusable, with reusable cutlery.

In-home catering services that offer a subscription to prepared meal services that are delivered at least 4 times a week must use cups, cutlery, plates, and containers reusable and which are the subject of collection.

Warning  

Serving meals and beverages in single-use containers for company required to be served in reusable containers is punishable by a fine of €1,500 (natural person) or €7,500 (legal person).

He is forbidden to distribute free plastic bottles containing beverages in the institutions receiving from the public (ERP) and in premises for professional use.

Free distribution is allowed exceptionally in each of the following cases:

  • In establishments not served by a drinking water system
  • When free distribution of plastic bottles meets public health imperative
  • When a restriction on water intended for human consumption for food use is imposed by the competent administrative authority (the prefecture).

Please note

It is prohibited to require the supply or use of single-use plastic bottles for festive, cultural or sporting events in contracts.

Contractual clauses which provide for this should not be applied, except in cases where substitution of these bottles by reusable products is not possible (for example, if this would run counter to a health obligation).

Labeling directly on fruit or vegetables is authorized only for labels compostable in domestic composting and consisting partly or wholly of material biosources.

Labeling directly on fruit or vegetables is prohibited for all other labels, including those made of non-compostable plastic.

Failure to comply with this prohibition shall be punished by fine of €450 (natural person) or €2,250 (legal person)

He is forbidden to sell or give away free of charge any substance in the state of microplastic, as such or as a mixture, intentionally has a concentration equal to or greater than 0.01%.

Natural microplastics that have not been chemically modified and biodegradable microplastics are not affected.

This ban shall apply systematically rinsed cosmetic products for exfoliation or cleaning purposes containing solid plastic particles. The prohibition shall not apply to naturally occurring particles which are unlikely to remain in the media.

This ban does not apply substances and mixtures which:

  • Are used on an industrial site
  • Are used in the manufacture of medicinal products for human or veterinary use
  • Are strictly contained by technical means throughout their life cycle to avoid their release into the environment and which are contained in waste destined for incineration or disposal as hazardous waste
  • Have permanently altered physical properties, to the point that the polymers no longer meet the definition of microplastic
  • Are permanently incorporated into a solid matrix during their use

FYI  

Companies that produce, import or use a substance or mixture containing microplastics must have mandatory labeling on their products. It shows all the instructions for use relevant to avoid the release of microplastics into the environment, including at the end of the life of the products.

Instructions must be visible, legible and indelible.

Microplastics pose environmental and health risks

National Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Safety (ANSES)

Pour en savoir plus

He is no plastic packaging :

  • The press publications (newspapers, magazines, etc.)
  • The publicity, addressed or not addressed (in the form of booklets, slips, cartons, etc.)

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The public service accompanying companies

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