EU moves forward with new plastic pellet regulation to curb microplastic pollution

24 Apr 2024 --- The European Parliament has voted in favor of a regulation on preventing plastic pellet losses to reduce microplastic pollution. The new rules will require all businesses handling plastic pellets to ensure that losses are avoided. Where spills and losses occur, they will be held responsible. 

“This regulation comes at a time when it is increasingly important to raise awareness and take measures against microplastic pollution. We have all seen the importance of stricter rules, especially after the disaster that happened in Galicia, but plastic pellet pollution goes beyond that,” says rapporteur João Albuquerque. 

“I am happy that the political groups were able to reach a consensus and strengthen Parliament’s position regarding the vital step of prevention, which translated into a majority at today’s vote. I hope this position is maintained in the next mandate and that we can negotiate a strong, prevention-based regulation that will significantly decrease plastic pellet pollution, which poses such a risk for human health and the environment.”

Measures and opportunities
The regulation stipulates that economic operators must establish a risk assessment plan for each installation handling over 1,000 metric tons of plastic pellets annually. 

Seas At Risk, an association of environmental organizations from across Europe, says the text is a “significant improvement” even though MEPs missed the opportunity to tighten the regulation by choosing to exempt businesses that handle less than 1,000 metric tons of pellets a year. 

MEPs propose that all storage and transport containers carrying plastic pellets should be labeled with a specific pictogram and information linked to their danger, the potential to harm the environment, and the need to avoid release and collect any spillage.

Other measures proposed by MEPs include:

• A report on the possibility of introducing chemical traceability of plastic pellets to be published by the Commission two years after the regulation enters into force.
• A mandatory training program for small, medium and large enterprises addressing specific issues, e.g., prevention, workers protection, clean-up technologies, use and maintenance of equipment, monitoring and reporting of pellet losses.
• A specific form for loss tracking to be filled in after each incident and communicated to the competent authorities.

The EU details up to 180,000 tons of pellets are lost to the environment every year.“The EU’s leadership in implementing strong supply chain governance on this harmful source of plastic pollution is a welcome step toward achieving microplastic reduction targets,” comments Amy Youngman, legal and policy specialist at the Environmental Investigation Agency.

“Regrettably, the loophole in the Parliament proposal allowing operators to justify their way out of minimum prevention requirements weakens an otherwise robust proposal. As negotiators work on the global plastic treaty this week, we call on Parliament’s footsteps and seek global solutions to prevent pellet loss effectively — without any loopholes.”

Impact of pellets
The EU details that between 52,140 and 184,290 metric tons of pellets are estimated to have been lost to the environment in 2019. 

“The profound impact and scale of plastic pellet pollution across the EU is abundantly clear. From the catastrophic container losses in Galicia to the persistent contamination of sites like Ecaussinnes (Belgium) and Tarragona (Spain), EU citizens and local communities are currently bearing the heavy toll of this pollution,” shares Lucie Padovani, marine litter lobbying officer at Surfrider Foundation Europe.

“It was thus long overdue for the European Parliament to take action with what we can consider a partial win: yes, clear concessions were made to part of the plastic industry, but MEPs found the political will to set binding preventive measures and hold polluters accountable.”

At yesterday’s (April 23 ) vote, MEPs stressed that they want to improve the definition of plastic pellets, used as feedstock in plastic product manufacturing and recycling operations, to include powders, cylinders, beads and flakes.

The new Parliament will follow up on the file after elections in June.

By Radhika Sikaria