France is taking its anti-pollution advocacy to another level. Following its ban on plastic cups in July, the country has now implemented a law requiring plastic dish manufacturers to only produce products made from biodegradable materials by the year 2020.

France has become the first country in the world to pass a nationwide ban on disposable tablewares. The new law requires all disposable tablewares such as plastic cups, plates, and cutlery, to be made from 50 percent biologically-sourced materials. According to CNN, the ban is an addition to the country's "Energy Transition for Green Growth Act," a law adopted last year with the aim of reducing pollution and allay the effects of climate change.

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French authorities hope that the law would promote what they call a "circular economy" of waste disposal.  France's Association of Health and Environment reported that about 4.73 billion cups are thrown away per year, and only one percent contains a mixture of polystyrene and polypropylene, which can be recycled.

French President Francois Hollande is very supportive of the ban and the country's hope to become the world leader in environment and energy solutions. However, not everyone is supportive.

National Environment Minister Segolene Royal said that although the new law may do well for the environment, she is concerned about how it would affect poor families who use plastic tablewares to save money.

Meanwhile, Pack2GoEurope, an industry association representing Europe's leading food-packaging manufacturers, has said that France's latest measure is a violation of the European Union's law on the free movement of goods.

In July, France imposed a total ban on the use of plastic bags in supermarket checkout counters. Although the complete plastic ban will not be implemented in France until the year 2020, there is already a debate within the scientific and manufacturing sector in about whether the idea of producing biodegradable plastic is better.