New standard for plastic bags in France

On 1 July 2016 a new decree of the French Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Energy on single-use plastic bags will enter into force. This decree provides clear requirements on reducing single-use plastic bags in favour of biodegradable bags from renewable sources compostable at home. 

Over the last months the French government has adopted different measures related to plastic bags. Thus, in last August, France introduced a ban on single-use plastic bags as part of a new law on Energy Transition and Green Growth.

On 1 February a more detailed decree was adopted, establishing the requirements and terms. The decree is applied to single-use transport bags with a thickness of less than 50 microns. They will have to comply with the requirements of the French standards on home composting and will must contain renewable sources in at least a 30 %. This amount will be gradually increased up to 40 % in 2018, 50 % in 2020 and 60 % in 2025.