France bans non-degradable plastic bags

France's upper parliamentary house, the senate, confirmed a ban on conventional plastic carrier bags on Tuesday. Only biodegradable bags will be permitted from 2010 under a decree that must now be drawn up. Although apparently an environmental protection measure, the ban is actually part of a wide-ranging agricultural framework law. In its final form the ban covers only plastic bags. Some kinds of plastic packaging would also have been affected under an earlier version passed by the lower house, the national assembly (EED 14/10/05). See French senate and amendment.

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