Turmoil and global conflict, at many times in history, have had a way of coalescing people around a common goal propelling nations to accomplish feats never before imaginable. As an example, World War II transformed America from a largely isolated nation into a global military and manufacturing powerhouse.
Today, Europe finds itself in the throes of a heated political debate over open border policies which have already led to Brexit and threatens the stability of the entire European Union. Faced with such adversity, French legislators, like the men and women who rushed off to war in the 1940s, have come together in a fierce display to solidarity to….wait for it….that’s right, to ban disposable cutlery.
Seriously, ever wonder how these folks convince themselves that the most pressing issue facing their entire nation is plastic spoons? Perhaps the people of Calais, France are really not so worried about the 7,000 migrants living in a makeshift “jungle” in their town after all…but throwing plastic cutlery on the ground, that kind of aggression will not stand, man.
Per the AP, France recently passed the new legislation that gives producers until 2020 to ensure that all disposable dishes sold in France are made of biologically sourced materials that can be composted. The ban apparently follows a prior ban on plastic bags back in July.
The ban was initially proposed by the Europe Ecologie-Greens Party and was adopted by French lawmakers with the aim of reducing the energy consumed and waste produced by the plastic processing industry, as well as the pollution caused by plastic litter.
The measures will ban sales of single-use plastic cups, plates and glasses unless they are made of bio-sourced materials that can be composted in a domestic composting unit.
While several other countries and some U.S. states have also banned plastic bags, France appears to be the first country to introduce a blanket ban on plastic dishware. It comes after Paris hosted a landmark conference last year on fighting global warming, and as the Socialist government tries to push France toward the forefront of environmental progress.
Alas, a minority of legislators and opponents from trade groups expressed the negative side effects for the plastic ban which includes is disproportionate financial impact of low-income families and the potential for greater pollution.
The ecologists wanted the ban to be introduced as soon as 2017 but it was postponed until 2020 because of Environment Minister Segolene Royal’s initial opposition to the law. Royal deemed it an “anti-social” measure, arguing that families struggling financially make regular use of disposable tableware.
Bates argues that there is no proof that bio-sourced disposable cutlery is more environmentally beneficial, and that no products made from bio-sourced plastics will degrade in a domestic composting unit.
He also said the ban “will be understood by consumers to mean that it is OK to leave this packaging behind in the countryside after use because it’s easily bio-degradable in nature. That’s nonsense! It may even make the litter problem worse.”
Meanwhile, as the U.S. and France continue to impose stifling unilateral regulations on businesses in their respective countries to progress the urgent fight against ManBearPig, China continues business as usual and expresses their gratitude for the competitive advantage.
via http://ift.tt/2csrLiI Tyler Durden