France’s restaurants and fast-food businesses are scrambling to change their procedures as the deadline to stop using disposable cutlery approaches. All restaurants will be required to use recyclable silverware starting on January 1, 2023, marking what French environmental organizations are referring to as a “paradigm change” for the industry.
Due to a recent law, food items like sandwiches and hamburgers can no longer be supplied in boxes. However, paper can be used to wrap them. Other things including chips, nuggets, pizzas, cakes, ice cream, and beverages must be served in reusable containers that must be washed at 60 degrees Fahrenheit, just like in regular restaurants.
In France, there are over 30,000 fast-food restaurants, and waste from this amount to 180,000 tonnes
In France, there are over 30,000 fast-food restaurants. Each year, these provide about 6 billion meals. Waste from this amount to 180,000 tonnes. According to statistics, people who eat in account for 55% of this waste. “We’re extremely happy that this is finally coming into force,” said Alice Elfassi, head of legal affairs for the NGO Zero Waste France. “Fast food is a sector that produces a lot of waste. Although single-use plastic had already been banned, it had been replaced by large amounts of throwaway products like cardboard, wood, and bamboo, which we consider an unacceptable waste of resources.”
“Most fast-food restaurants won’t switch to classic, long-wearing glass or china that lasts years, they will opt for hard plastic and we have concerns about its durability – will it withstand hundreds of washes or will it be thrown out after only a few? We’ll be vigilant on that,” she added. According to the new regulations, every eatery with more than 20 seats must offer food on reusable, machine-washable plates, glasses, and silverware.