EU Council and Parliament Agree on New Rules to Reduce Microplastic Pollution

It is estimated that between 52,140 and 184,290 tonnes of pellets were lost into the environment in the EU in 2019. Pellet losses can occur at various stages along the value chain. Currently, no EU rules specifically cover plastic pellet losses.

On 8 April 2025, the EU Council and the European Parliament provisionally agreed on a regulation on preventing the loss of plastic pellets – the industrial raw materials used to make plastic products – into the environment. The new rules will help improve the handling of plastic pellets at all stages of the supply chain, both on land and sea.

Under the new rules, the prevention of plastic pellet losses would be the main objective for operators and EU and non-EU transporters. A clear framework will set out obligations in the event of accidental losses, focusing on clean-up operations. A clear set of measures will be included in a risk management plan prepared by each installation handling pellets. Such measures would cover, among other things, packaging, loading and unloading, staff training and the necessary equipment.

The provisional agreement must now be approved by the Council and the Parliament. It will then be formally adopted by both institutions, after legal and linguistic revision, and published in the Official Journal of the EU. The Regulation will then apply 2 years after publication.

Edited by YJ
Reviewed by Maggie
Contact: v10@cbcgdf.org; +8617319454776

 

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