New decree: Informing consumers about the environmental characteristics of waste-generating products.
New decree: Informing consumers about the environmental characteristics of waste-generating products.
The Decree1, published on April 29, 2022, specifies the application of good consumer information, by producers and importers, on the qualities and environmental characteristics of waste-generating products.
Environmental qualities and characteristics are key elements in informing consumers about the conditions for better waste prevention and management.
Producers, importers or any other marketers who declare at least 10,000 products placed on the market each year, and who generate sales in excess of 10 million euros, are concerned by this new decree.
The aim is to inform the consumer of the characteristics and conditions designed to improve waste prevention and management.
What packaging information do I need?
- Compostability, in the form of the "compostable packaging" label
- The incorporation of recycled material, in the form "product/packaging containing at least [%] recycled material".
- The possibility of reuse, in the form of the words "reusable packaging" or "refillable packaging".
- Recyclability, in the form of "mostly recyclable packaging" or "fully recyclable packaging" or "packaging that can be recycled into packaging of the same type", according to the levels of recyclability and criteria defined.
The products concerned are new products marketed to consumers and subject to Extended Producer Responsibility; they are concerned from now on, and from 2023 if the packaging was manufactured or imported before April 2022.
Producers will have to make this information available electronically and, where applicable, in accordance with procedures defined by decree, by display, labeling or any other legible and comprehensible device, at the time of purchase. The format must be easily reusable and usable, and remain available for 2 years after the last unit of the product concerned was placed on the market.
Please note: The 5 criteria of recyclability
- collected locally through local collection points
- sorted: sent for recycling
- without disruptors: from sorting, recycling or use
- majority of recycled material: more than 50% by mass of the waste collected
- industrial and practical scale: quality, demand and sustainability of outlets and the supply chain
1 https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/jorf/id/JORFTEXT000045726094, Decree in application of article 13 of the AGEC law, and article L541-9-1 of the Environment Code