France has become the first country in the world to outlaw plastic cups, plates and cutlery, although the ban will not come into effect for another three and a half years. 

A new law requires all disposable tableware to be made of 50 per cent biologically-sourced materials by January 2020, with the percentage rising to 65 per cent by 2025. 

An estimated 4.73 billion plastic cups are dumped in France every year, and just 1 per cent of those are recycled. The new law is part of a broader effort aimed at reducing waste and carbon emissions. 

But while environmentalists have cheered the ban, not everyone thinks it is a good idea. Lobbyists from packaging companies argue that the ban runs counter to EU free movement of goods principles, and say that while biologically-sourced packaging is promising, it still does not meet EU food hygiene standards. 

Some have even opposed the ban on environmental grounds, arguing that the biologically-sourced alternatives are actually more energy-intensive than the plastic they are meant to replace.  

Researchers at the University of Wageningen have found that the environmental benefits of biologically-sourced materials might be less clear-cut than one might think. The production of bio-based polyamides, for instance, requires about twice as much energy as that of oil-based versions. 

Nevertheless, scientists believe it is only a matter of time before more efficient processes to manufacture such materials are developed - and that new technologies have a greater chance of being discovered if there is a concerted effort to refine them. 

"Biobased materials are the future, no doubt about that," said Utrech University senior researcher Li Shen. "Inevitably, demand for biobased materials will rise – and higher demand will lead to the development of more efficient processes."