France throws plastic cutlery in the trash

French officials announced that France will be the first country to ever ban plastic cutlery in the world. I don’t agree with this legislature because I view this action very difficult to succeed. People are too dependent on using it for parties, restaurants, cafeterias and has ultimately become integral to our way of life.

This law will be enforced in year 2020 where plastic cutlery such as plates, carryout boxes, spoons, forks, and knives would be banned in the country. Moreover, it’s quite a shocker in today’s era considering the fact that many people, just like me, get lazy and would rather spend $5 on a 30 pack of utensils at Walmart and be set for the week. The major concept is to get people to adjust using another form of utensils that are non-plastic.

President of France, François Hollande, created this law to incorporate with Energy Transition for Green Growth Act, an act made to effectively adjust climate change by reducing pollution, energy consumption etc. and introducing people an earth friendly environment. With this law being enforced in France, many other countries will become influenced by the idea.

For example, some parts of California have slowly taken action in charging 10 cents for plastic bags instead of completely banning them; customers are reducing the intake of plastic bags and replacing them with reusable tote bags.

This action could not possibly work in the United States because it will financially damage the production business of plastic cutlery as well as consumers who depend on plastic utensils.

By using plastic cutlery, water is being conserved by not having to wash metal utensils. Plastic utensils are used on a daily basis for people who have a busy schedule and don’t have time to wash dishes. The majority of the time plastic cutlery users are on the go and don’t have access to water to clean metal cutlery such as workers outdoors and the homeless.

Plastic cutlery is economically friendly, lightweight, and convenient for personal use as well as for businesses such as restaurants. Additionally, there are numerous fast food restaurants that need plastic utensils for the customers who take their food home.

Resorting to metal utensils, by banning plastic cutlery, could result in higher operating costs for restaurant owners. Not only would businesses have to spend more money on metal utensils, but they would have increased labor and the wages that come with it due to the associated work and increased maintenance costs.

Utensils made out of plastic are one time use and then get thrown away which makes it more sanitary. Meanwhile metal cutlery must be cleaned after every use or else customers become at risk of contracting diseases if they are not sanitized properly. Some of the food borne illness include salmonella, staphylococcus aureus, hepatitis A among others.

 

The journey of eliminating plastic cutlery is becoming a reality. In contrast, there are many obstacles that avoid the legislature from succeeding. Plastic cutlery is a dependency for humans and should not be banned.