On 12 October 2021, the French Ministry of Ecological Transition launched a public consultation on the draft “Decree in the Council of State relating to public information on the qualities and characteristics of products that generate waste”. It defines the conditions of application of part of Article 17 of the law on the fight against waste and the circular economy (AGEC law), intended to provide consumers with more complete and regulated information about the environmental impacts of the products they consume.
This draft decree specifies:
• The definitions of the various environmental characteristics and qualities of products
• The sectors and categories of products concerned
• The procedures for making the information available
Environmental qualities and characteristics
These are, depending on the product category concerned: the incorporation of recycled material, the use of renewable resources, durability, compostability, reparability, reusability, recyclability, the presence of hazardous substances, precious metals or rare earths, traceability and the presence of plastic microfibres.
The product categories concerned
Compostability
Compostable, methanisable and biodegradable packaging that can be collected together with source-separated bio-waste is covered by the compostability information.
This information is expressed as “compostable packaging”. Plastic products and packaging that can only be composted in an industrial unit may not be labelled “compostable”. Plastic products and packaging that can be composted in a domestic or industrial composting facility shall be labelled “Do not discard in the environment”.
Incorporation of recycled material
Information on the incorporation of recycled material shall include, in particular, printed paper, with the exception of books and paper for graphic use, and the containers and contents of chemical products.
This information shall be expressed for these products in the form of the words “product containing …
