The Rethink Plastic alliance is disappointed by the proposal for a regulation presented by the Commission on Monday 16 October to prevent pollution from plastic particles, believing it to be incomplete and in need of rapid completion (see EUROPE 13272/3).
Some parts of the proposal are promising, such as giving priority to prevention, compulsory certification, transparency in reporting, access to justice and penalty measures, particularly for large operators, the NGO network stressed on Monday.
However, these NGOs deplore the fact that there are no minimum requirements and denounce certain worrying shortcomings: “The scope is incomplete - the proposal seemingly excludes flakes and powders that present the same risk as pellets - and there are too many exemptions - for example the exemption for micro- and small companies handling below 5 tonnes per year”.
Rethink Plastic points out that microplastics can also be unintentionally released into the environment through the degradation of synthetic textiles, paints, vehicle tyres and other macroplastics, which a brochure published the same day by the Commission recognised as major pollution sources to be tackled.
These products release fragments and micro- and nanoplastics that get carried away in the air or through the sewage system, ending up in the oceans or terrestrial ecosystems.
See the Commission brochure: https://aeur.eu/f/92x (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)