AGEC law services
In February 2021, France passed a new law known as the AGEC (Anti-Gaspillage et pour l’Economie Circulaire) law, which aims to reduce waste and promote a circular economy.
In February 2021, France passed a new law known as the AGEC (Anti-Gaspillage et pour l’Economie Circulaire) law, which aims to reduce waste and promote a circular economy.
What is the AGEC law French Decree No. 2002-748
Brands and retailers in France will have heard of the AGEC (Anti-Gaspillage et pour l’Economie Circulaire) law sometimes referred to as the French Anti-Waste law. Introduced in 2020 the law aims to support the transition to a less wasteful and more circular economy.
It has a number of short, medium and longer terms objectives that are designed to encourage business across multiple sectors to minimise waste and adopt circular behaviours. The encouragement is framed as either prohibited actions or incentives; including measures to reduce the use of single-use plastic and encourage recycling.
What are the main objectives of the AGEC law?
- The elimination of single-use plastic packaging by 2040
- Providing the consumer and waste contractors with better information
- Limiting waste creation, promoting re-use, recycling and repair
- Elimination of planned obsolescence
- Improving production techniques and resource management through design
When the AGEC law applies | Company size
- From January 2023, for French producers with an annual turnover of more than 50 million Euros and 25000 units of product sold into the French market
- From January 2024, for French producers with an annual turnover of more than 20 million Euros and 10000 units of product sold into the French market
- From January 2025, for French producers with an annual turnover of more than 10 million Euros and 10000 units of product sold into the French market
Who the French AGEC law applies to
The AGEC law French Decree No. 2022-748 applies to all goods sold in French territory.
Obligations under the AGEC Law
Depending on the industry category, the AGEC Law requires companies to provide information on the environmental characteristics of products and packaging according to the following categories
- Repairability
- Sustainability
- Re-use options
- Use of recycled material
- Use of renewable resources
- Compostability (biodegradability)
- Recyclability
- The presence of hazardous substances
- Traceability
- The presence of microfibres
- Recycled content – quantification of recycled material services
- Compostability – various biodegradability, disintegration and compostability testing services
- Biodegradability testing
- Chemical testing – for the presence of hazardous chemicals
- Traceability – through supply chain mapping or SIRA cotton origin services
- Microplastic testing – quantification and identification
- Life Cycle Analysis – providing detailed measurements and metrics to compare product impacts
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Why Eurofins Sustainability Services?
Specialist experience in leather, textiles, paper, packaging and plastics
Multiple testing facilities
Complete package from biodegradability to toxicity impacts and plant response
Can be linked with the microplastic analysis of degradant