France - Draft Decree Establishing the Extended Responsibility Scheme for Producers of Single-use Sanitary Textiles

​​Law No. 2020-105 of February 10, 2020 on the fight against waste and the circular economy provided for the establishment of an extended producer responsibility (EPR) sector for single-use sanitary textiles, including pre-soaked wipes for personal and domestic use, as of January 01, 2024.

This text transposes Directive 2019/904 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the reduction of the impact of certain plastic products on the environment, which provides in particular for the establishment, before December 31, 2024, of an EPR sector for pre-soaked wipes for personal and domestic use. In addition, it provides for an extension of EPR to all single-use sanitary textiles in accordance with the French legislative text.​​​

Examples of sanitary textiles falling under the different categories of the decree:
- Category 1; Wipes, including pre-soaked wipes for personal and household use: wipes for personal hygiene, pre-soaked wipes for surface care, finger rinses, optical wipes, etc.
- Category 2; masks, personal protective equipment, disposable linen and clothing, and care devices: masks, gowns, shoe covers, caps, disposable sheets, blankets and pillowcases, non-woven compresses, cotton rolls, etc.
- Category 3; Other paper hygiene products: paper towels, tissues, tablecloths, placemats and napkins, etc.
- Category 4; Absorbent hygiene and intimate protection products: diapers, feminine protection, incontinence products, etc.

The draft text can be consulted and commented, from July 08, 2024 to August 03, 2024 inclusive.
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