France urges green habits with new car ads, bans on plastic

By SYLVIE CORBET
Associated Press

PARIS (AP) — French customers will be encouraged to adopt more environmentally friendly habits under a series of new regulations to take effect in 2022. Beginning Saturday, leeks and carrots, tomatoes and potatoes, apples and pears and about 30 other items will no longer be sold in plastic. Starting in March, French car ads will have to mention one of three messages urging people to use their cars less and walk or take public transit more. The measures promoted by President Emmanuel Macron’s government seek to reduce pollution and the impact of cars on greenhouse gas emissions. The government says the new regulation is expected to eliminate about 1 billion items of plastic waste per year.