The new law introduced in France is expected to eliminate 1 billion pieces of single use plastic annually.
From January 2022 France has banned single use plastic for nearly all fruits and vegetables to reduce single use plastic.
The French government has published a list of more than 30 fruits and vegetables (including leeks, aubergines and tomatoes as well as apples, bananas and oranges) that will now be required to be package-free or packaged in recyclable materials from January 1st.
“We use an outrageous amount of single-use plastic in our daily lives. The circular economy law aims at cutting back the use of throwaway plastic and boost its substitution by other materials or reusable and recyclable packaging,” the ministry said in a statement.
A limited number of delicate or cut fruits and vegetables will be exempt from this ban until June 2026 when it will be phased out.
The ban will come into effect for cherry tomatoes, green beans and peaches in June 2023 and by the end 2024 for endives, asparagus, mushrooms, some salads and herbs as well as cherries.
Other measures are also being introduced in France across 2022 and 2023, such as providing water fountains to reduce the amount of plastic bottles.
