France Becomes First Country to Ban Plastic Cups and Plates

France has become the first country in the world to ban disposable plastic cups and plates. A new French law will require all disposable tableware to be made from 50% biologically-sourced materials that can be composted at home by January of 2020. That number will rise to 60% by January of 2025.

France becomes first country to ban plastic cups and plates
By Sophie Eastaugh, for CNN
Updated 0830 GMT (1630 HKT) September 20, 2016

Story highlights
Ban will go into effect in January of 2020
The move is slammed by packaging industry
(CNN)France has become the first country in the world to ban disposable plastic cups and plates.

A new French law will require all disposable tableware to be made from 50% biologically-sourced materials that can be composted at home by January of 2020. That number will rise to 60% by January of 2025.
The measure is an addition to France’s “Energy Transition for Green Growth Act,” a wide-reaching law adopted last year with the aim of mitigating the impact of climate change.

France hopes to become a world leader in environmental and energy solutions, catalyzed by the COP21 Climate Change conference held in Paris last December.

 Only 1% of plastic is recycled, largely because they are made of a mixture of polypropylene and polystyrene.