cosmetic products covered by the re-use or recycling obligation

One of the measures of the law on the fight against waste and the circular economy (AGEC) of 10 February 2020 is that concerning unsold goods. The AGEC law imposes an obligation to re-use, re-cycle or recycle and prohibits the destruction of unsold goods. This measure concerns unsold hygiene products which must necessarily be reused except for
– Products with a minimum durability date of less than 3 months;
– Products for which there is no possibility of reuse after contacting approved associations.

The cosmetics sector is all the more concerned as a study published in 2014 by Ademe and the Agence Don en Nature, which was used to support the impact study of the AGEC law, indicates that the “hygiene and beauty” sector is only the 4th largest donor sector. These results echo a survey conducted by Ifop in 2019 which revealed that 3 million French people would go without basic hygiene products. Associations are said to face a chronic shortage of products such as soap and toothpaste.

A draft decree provides for the obligations for hygiene products to come into force on 1 January 2022. Hygiene products would include: skin and hair care and cleaning products, soaps, hair dyes and styling products, make-up removal products, depilatory and shaving products, deodorants, products intended to be applied to the lips, sunscreens, dental and oral hygiene products.

To be continued…