Politics & Legislation

France Adopts Amendment That Will Change Bioplastics Industry

French Parliament adopts amendment that will have serious consequences for compostable packaging in France.

The French Standard NF EN 13432  inspired from the European Standard EN 13432 sets the requirements for biodegradable and compostable packaging. It lists the technical criteria that a packaging has to respect to be classified as “biodegradable” or “compostable” packaging.

The French parliament adopted a new amendment (number 1181). The amendment says: if the packaging is not “home compostable” it cannot be labeled “compostable”.

The critics of the amendment say this is in contradiction to EN 13432 and the free circulation of goods in the EU.

PERSONAL REMARKS

This may not be a popular move but it may be a necessary one to ensure the emancipation of bioplastics.

This will force bioplastics companies to aim for home compostability instead of just industrial compostability.

This will set Bioplastics packaging free from external factors such as:

  • separate collection of biowaste;
  • inclusion of bioplastics (compostable) packaging in the biowaste stream;
  • acceptance of compostable bioplastics by the composters

This may enable a true bioplastics packaging revolution.

Here’s the amendment:

amendement 1181

 

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