France’s Environmental Champion
Ms. Ségolène Royal’s, France’s energy and environment minister, environmental credentials are impeccable. Under her leadership, France is at the forefront of ambitious environmental measures, across the board from pesticides, chemicals and now marine litter.
Marine Litter
France is the first European Member State to take concrete steps to respond to a long running NGO campaign against marine litter.
Ms. Royal is taking concrete steps.
First, France banned the use of non-compostable plastic cups , glasses and disposable kitchen plates by 1st January 2020 (see here).
France has piggy backed these product bans on to a French law transposing the EU plastic bag directive (see here).
Second, France is likely to adopt new measures to combat marine litter.
In a proposal being considered by the French Parliament on biodiversity France will introduce new bans on:
- cotton buds made of plastics from 1st of January 2018
- cosmetics containing micro plastics from 1st of January 2018
In the run up to elections in France 2017, it is likely these bans will be adopted.
Europe’s Interest
France notified the Commission of these measures (see here and here). The European Commission, Croatia and Italy made comments. It is not clear whether the comments are supportive or not.
What Next
If governments are genuine and serious about addressing marine litter they could well to read this report, , commissioned by DG Environment.
You’ll see that the type of litter varies across Europe’s seas.
See: report p.77.
And the source varies. See Report fig 20, p.94:
See fig 20, p.94
Source apportionment is a tried and tested technique for dealing with pollution. Find out the sources of the pollution and see which sources can most effectively be limited or banned. It has the advantage that it helps focus action on the real culprits of a problem, rather than the sources politicians or the press have conjured up.
One can only presume from reading this report that France will now take on their fishing fleet, were there has historically been a very cosy relationship, and ban the dumping of damaged nets at sea, and to improve municipal waste treatment (which seems to be the main culprit).
If France continues these measures, they may generate action by other Member States or instigate Europe wide action by the European Commission. Perhaps, some countries or the Commission may raise concerns if France goes beyond plastic product bans for cotton buds, and target more visible signs of plastic pollution of our beaches and oceans.