. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/TBT/N/FRA/19
14 January 2003
(03-0175)
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original:  French
NOTIFICATION
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6.
1. Member to Agreement notifying:  FRANCE
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):
2. Agency responsible:
Interministerial Director for Standards
Sub-Directorate of Quality for I ndustry and Standardization (SQUALPI)
64-70 Allée de Bercy
Télédoc 811 – 75574
PARIS Cedex 12
Tel.: 01 53 44 97 04Fax: 01 53 44 98 88
E-mail: suzanne.piau@industrie.gouv.fr or syrte@industrie.gouv.fr
Ministry of Health, the Family and the Handicapped
Directorate-General of HealthSub-Directorate of Environmental Risk Management
Air, Soil and Wastes Management Office
8, avenue de Ségur - 75350 PARIS 07 SP
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers and E-mail and Web site
addresses, if available) of  agency or authority designated to handle comments
regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above:
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [  X ], 2.10.1 [    ], 5.6.2 [    ], 5.7.1 [    ], other:
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading.
ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):  Packaging of potentially
infectious healthcare wastes and human anatomical waste (plastic bags, paper bags with
inner plastic lining, cardboard boxes with pl astic lining, plastic drums and jerrycans,
puncture-proof boxes and small collectors for sharp items, bulk packaging and collection
bins, etc.).
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  Draft order on the
packaging of potentially infectious healthcare wastes and the like and human anatomical
waste (5 pages).G/TBT/N/FRA/19
Page 2
6. Description of content:   This draft order specifies the types of packaging required for
potentially infectious healthcare wastes and the like and human anatomical waste (plastic
bags, paper bags with inner plastic lining, cardboard boxes with plastic lining, plastic drums
and jerrycans, puncture-proof boxes and small collectors for sharp items, bulk packagingand collection bins, etc.).  It also lays down labelling requirements and general provisions
for the handling of such containers.
7. Objective and rationale, including the na ture of urgent problems where applicable:
This draft order is being issued pursuant to Decree No. 97-1048 of 6 November
1997 on the disposal of potentially infectious healthcare wastes and the like and anatomical
waste.  The purpose of this text is to promote the placing on the market of safe packaging
suited to the characteristics of potentially infectious wastes.  It also covers safety
requirements for the handling of containers by waste producers and on-site management ofcontainers in waste generation and treatment facilities.
8. Relevant documents:
• Public Health Code, in particular Ar ticles R.44-1, R.44-2, R.44-4, R.44-6 and
R.44-7;
• Order of 7 September 1999 on storage procedures for potentially infectious
healthcare wastes and the like and anatomical waste;
• Order of 7 September 1999 on control of disposal procedures for potentially
infectious healthcare wastes and the like and anatomical waste.
9. Proposed date of adoption:  The draft order should be tabled for signature in March 2003.
Proposed date of entry into force:  The Order will enter into force within a period of one
year counted from its date of publication in the Official Journal of the French Republic.
10. Final date for comments:   
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [    ] or address, telephone and fax
numbers and E-mail and Web site addresses, if available, of other body:
AFNOR-CINORTECH
11, avenue Francis de Pressensé
93571 SAINT-DENIS LA PLAINE Cedex