A New EPR Scheme to Tackle Single-Use Plastics in Fishing

France is preparing to launch a new EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility) stream dedicated to fighting single-use plastics, particularly in the fishing sector. This move highlights the growing regulatory focus on plastic waste and the need for producers, distributors, and importers to adapt their compliance processes.

Why a new EPR stream?

Fishing nets, lines, and other single-use plastic gear are a major source of marine pollution. Too often, these items end up discarded at sea or left unmanaged at end-of-life. The objective of the new scheme is clear:

• Finance waste management for plastic-based fishing gear.
• Encourage eco-design with more durable, reusable materials.
• Reduce marine pollution linked to abandoned fishing equipment.

This new stream falls within the broader framework of the French AGEC law, which continues to expand the scope of producer responsibility year after year.

What does this mean for producers and distributors?

For fishing gear manufacturers, importers, and distributors, the obligations will mirror those already in place for other EPR streams:

• Registering with an approved Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO).
• Declaring volumes of single-use plastic equipment placed on the French market.
• Paying eco-fees, calculated per product category.
• Adapting product design to benefit from eco-modulations (e.g., durability, recycled content).

Anticipating compliance challenges

As with other sectors, this new scheme brings operational challenges:

• Data tracking across diverse product ranges.
• Fee calculation with new tariff grids to be published.
• Integration of this additional reporting into existing EPR processes.

Early anticipation is key: companies that prepare their data now will save time and avoid penalties when the scheme officially launches.

AlgoREP: instant eco-fee calculation for new EPR streams

AlgoREP enables businesses to manage new compliance requirements without complexity:

• Instant eco-fee calculation per product, including plastics in fishing gear.
• Automated declarations aligned with PRO requirements.
• Centralized compliance data, audit-ready at any time.
• Seamless updates as new streams, tariffs, and obligations are introduced.

By automating compliance, AlgoREP turns a new regulatory burden into a manageable, predictable process.

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