France, July 31 -- France has confirmed it is monitoring a US plan to incinerate millions of dollars worth of unused contraceptives in Europe - a move aid groups say is ideologically driven and medically wasteful.

The contraceptives - including intrauterine devices (IUDs), implants and pills - were bought under public health programmes run by the US Agency for International Development (USAID).

Since January, the supplies have been sitting in a warehouse in Geel, Belgium, after the Trump administration froze and then cancelled funding for reproductive health projects.

The products, which were meant for use in low- and middle-income countries, were being stored as part of USAID's supply chain, managed by its logistics contractor Chemoni...