On May 13, the ENVI Committee of the European Parliament adopted the provisional political agreement on the microplastics regulation. The text was approved with 66 votes in favour, 6 against and 15 abstentions. The agreed text can be accessed here.
The regulation aims at preventing the loss of plastic pellets into the environment. Plastic pellets are the raw materials used to produce plastic products. The text introduces measures throughout the supply chain, applying to both industry and (maritime) transport operators.
The new rules lay down obligations for EU and non-EU carriers operating road vehicles, inland barges or rail wagons to prevent plastic pellet losses and ensure containment and clean-up in the event that losses do take place. The agreement also features the maritime transport of plastic pellets using freight containers, requires measures related to the sharing of freight information, good quality packaging and the stowage of plastic pellet containers under deck or in sheltered areas of exposed decks.
The text finally applies to installations where the handling of plastic pellets take place, requiring economic operators to adopt a risk management plan outlining measures to prevent, contain and clean-up pellet losses.
A vote in plenary of the European Parliament and a formal approval in Council are still due before the regulation will be published in the Official Journal of the European Union. The text will enter into force 20 days after its publication. However, aside from article 3(1), the rules will only apply 24 months afterwards. The rules related to the maritime transport of plastic pellets will only apply 36 months after the entry into force of the Regulation.
