Microplastics: deal on new rules to reduce plastic pellets losses

Specific requirements to prevent, contain and clean up plastic pellets spills and losses

Measures to cover EU and non-EU carriers, as well as maritime transport operators

Specific pictogram and a warning statement to accompany the pellets

On Tuesday night, co-legislators reached a provisional agreement on measures to better prevent plastic pellets losses throughout the supply chain, with the aim of achieving zero losses.

Parliament and Council negotiators agreed on new rules that would require entities handling plastic pellets to take specific measures to avoid losses. These would apply to economic operators handling over 5 tonnes of plastic pellets in the EU, all EU and non-EU transport carriers using road, rail or inland waterways, as well as maritime operators leaving or calling at a port in an EU country.

Risk management plans for installations and certification

The regulation would require economic operators to establish and implement a risk management plan for each installation handling plastic pellets - containing procedures to prevent, contain and clean up spills - taking into account the nature and size of the installation as well as the scale of their operations.

For installations handling more than 1500 tonnes of pellets a year, compliance with the plans would need to be regularly certified for large and medium enterprises, with a one-off certification for small enterprises.

Specific measures to minimise plastic pellets losses

According to the deal, maritime transport operators would need to ensure that plastic pellets transported by sea are packed in good quality packaging that is strong enough and properly closed to withstand normal transport conditions, and that they are accompanied by clear cargo information and special stowage requests.

When incidental or accidental losses occur, economic operators, EU carriers and non-EU carriers would be required to immediately inform emergency services, take all possible measures to minimise the consequences as well as to prevent further incidents or accidents.

Information requirements

On request of the Parliament, the deal foresees that a specific pictogram and a warning statement should be provided on the label, the packaging or on the safety data sheet accompanying the plastic pellets.

The regulation would apply two years after its entry into force (three years for maritime transport).

Quote

Rapporteur César Luena (S&D, ES) said: "We have reached a good agreement that will ensure pellet losses are no longer impossible to address, as has been the case until now. Europe gains in security and prevention, and equips itself with instruments to react to incidents and accidents that may involve plastic pellet losses.”

Next steps

Parliament and Council have concluded an "early second reading agreement" (negotiation took place after the EP first reading was adopted in plenary). The Council is now expected to formally adopt its position, which can then be endorsed by the EP in second reading.

Background

By 2030, the EU should reduce the number of microplastics released into the environment (intentionally and unintentionally) by 30%. On 16 October 2023, the Commission proposed a regulation to tackle microplastic pollution resulting from losses of plastic pellets – the industrial raw materials used to make plastic products. These losses are the third largest source of unintentional microplastic releases into the EU environment.