Page 24 - Plastics News April 2025
P. 24
ENVIRONMENT NEWS
EU Takes Bold Steps to Curb
Microplastic Pollution from Plastic Pellets
n a significant move to combat microplastic cation from an independent third party. Smaller
pollution, the European Union has provision- companies above this threshold are granted a
Ially agreed on new regulations aimed at pre- five-year period to complete a one-off certifica-
venting the loss of plastic pellets—small gran- tion, while microenterprises and those handling
ules used extensively in manufacturing plastic less than 1,500 tonnes per year need only sub-
products. Announced on April 8, 2025, this mit a self-declaration of conformity .
agreement between the Council and the Euro-
pean Parliament seeks to enhance the handling Given that maritime transport accounted for ap-
of plastic pellets across all stages of the supply proximately 38% of pellet movement within the
chain, both on land and at sea. EU in 2022, the regulations also impose specific
obligations for sea transport. These include en-
Plastic pellets, often lost during production, suring high-quality packaging and providing de-
transport, or processing, contribute substantially tailed transport and cargo information in line with
to microplastic contamination in marine environ- International Maritime Organization guidelines.
ments. Annually, up to 7,300 truckloads of these
pellets are estimated to enter ecosystems, pos- The provisional agreement awaits formal en-
ing threats to wildlife and potentially entering dorsement by both the Council and the Parlia-
the human food chain. ment. Once adopted, the regulations will be-
come applicable two years after publication,
The new regulations mandate that all facilities with maritime transport rules taking effect one
handling plastic pellets develop comprehensive year later. This initiative marks a pivotal step in
risk management plans. These plans should ad- the EU's ongoing efforts to reduce microplastic
dress critical aspects such as packaging, load- pollution and protect marine ecosystems.
ing and unloading procedures, staff training, and Source: Consilium
the implementation of necessary equipment to
prevent accidental losses. Furthermore, non-EU
carriers transporting plastic pellets into the EU
will be required to appoint an authorized repre-
sentative within the EU to ensure accountability
and transparency.
Recognizing the diverse capacities of business-
es, the regulations introduce a tiered compliance
system. Large operators handling over 1,500
tonnes of pellets annually must obtain certifi-
24 PLASTICS NEWS April 2025
