Following the increase in the sale of plastic bottles observed in the summer of 2022, the No Plastic In My Sea association alerted the Ministry of Ecological Transition and Territorial Cohesion and initiated a dialogue on the development of the water points provided for by the AGEC law.
Recently, figures published in the press confirm these concerns: the number of plastic bottles placed on the market in 2022 increased by 4%, contrary to the 50% reduction target set by the AGEC law for 2030.
Our group of associations, businesses, elected officials, and personalities joined the petition launched by No Plastic In My Sea, to remind ERPs of their obligations to provide and signpost water points.
Although this action, joined by 16,500 signatories to date and supported by several media, has made it possible to challenge the stakeholders concerned, it comes up against a lack of will. Initial exchanges with certain ERPs show that a minority of establishments will be equipped this summer, i.e. 16 months after the planned application date.
We estimate the equipment rate at less than 20% compared to the potential of SNCF and less than 10% for RATP and most transport authorities.
As a result, we are now calling for a stronger action from the Ministry with regard to ERPs and for a global and sequenced plan to achieve the objective of reducing the number of plastic bottles by 50% on the market by 2030.
In particular, following the example of what has been achieved for reusable tableware in fast food restaurants, we propose that the Ministry :
brings together the stakeholders concerned and demands effective and complete implementation of the measure by January 2024, i.e. two years after the planned application deadline ;
requests a deployment plan from the main stakeholders and their professional organisations ;
organizes controls and resorts to the sanctions provided by the law.
Furthermore, it seems important to us to facilitate the consumer gesture that national signage is offered to ERPs (with at leat a bottle and a tap) and that the referencing of water points is organized to allow them to be mapped, on the example of the Refill program in the United Kingdom.
Beyond water points, reducing plastic bottles by 50% in 2030 - i.e. going from 15 billion to 7.5 billion bottles - requires an ambitious and sequenced plan based on several levers.
We are calling for this plan to be written by the fall and are available to contribute to it.
It should in particular make it possible to articulate and quantify over several years the impact on the reduction of different levers and in particular:
a reduction in the use of plastic bottles for drinking, thanks to the effective development of water points and support for consumers;
the promotion of tap water through massive national and local campaigns, relying on transparent information on water quality. This sould be done in coordination with the wtaer plan, which must allow an overall improvement in quality and a homogenous service across the country;
the replacement of a significant proportion of plastic bottles with re-usable glass bottles, as well as new forms of distribution of drinks (bulk, fountains, etc.);
a request for action plans from distributors and players in the water, drinks and catering sectors to achieve the target of a 50% reduction in plastic bottles by 2030;
greater restrictions on the marketing of water and drinks, which after years of questionable health claims, are developing a range of flavored waters with the organic label, which is a form of greenwashing;
an ambitious plan to reduce the use of plastic bottles as part of the review of the 3R strategy.
If you too would like to join this collective, contact us!