Tackling plastic pellet losses is key step for the EU's zero-pollution ambition

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The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) stresses that reducing plastic pellet losses is a key priority for the European Union's zero-pollution agenda, as microplastic pollution has a significant impact on the environment, climate and economy, especially for coastal communities and the fishing, agriculture and tourism sectors. The opinion drafted by Roberto Ciambetti (IT/ECR), President of the Veneto Regional Council, was adopted unanimously at the plenary session on 18 April.

EU regions and cities have welcomed the new proposal for a regulation on preventing plastic pellet lossesduring the manufacturing and supply chains. The CoR opinionunderlines that the rules need to be clear, certain and simple, so that they do not lend themselves to different interpretations by individual Member States and place excessive burden on the public administrations involved. It calls for effective assistance measures to support the entities subject to these obligations - particularly small and micro enterprises - in meeting the requirements and in making the necessary investments.

Regions and cities propose to include maritime transport in the new regulation, but stress that the EU trade policy must ensure there are no unfair advantages for producers and carriers from third countries with significantly lower standards. Local and regional leaders are calling on the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) to establish measures regarding the maritime transport of pellets as soon as possible and urge to step up negotiations on a global treaty on plastic pollution.

In line with the Polluter Pays Principle, the CoR calls for strengthening provisions on clean-up actions and suggests assessing ways in which penalties and compensations can be used to support local and regional communities affected by pollution. The opinion recommends setting up an effective system to monitor the individual Member States' application of the provisions and stepping up inspection activities on the ground to ensure that the rules are implemented effectively.

Quotes:

Rapporteur Roberto Ciambetti (IT/ECR), President of the Veneto Regional Council: "Timely action needs to be taken to deal with the problem of microplastic losses, which is having an increasingly significant impact on local communities, both from an environmental point of view and from the point of view of socio-economic activities. We need rational and balanced measures, that do not follow the logic of emergency, but that are fit for purpose, technically feasible and economically viable so that we do not lose competitiveness, compromise jobs and penalise consumers."

MEP João Albuquerque (PT/S&D): "Considering that the plastic pellets supply chain has losses throughout the full process that are avoidable, this Regulation is a very important step to prevent and, ultimately, stop the plastic pellets losses into the environment. With 57 millions of tonnes produced only in the EU, and various estimations on the overall loss of plastic pellets that show that the equivalent of 7.300 trucks full of pellets are lost just in the European Union, it's urgent to tackle this issue. At the European Parliament, we welcomed the European Commission's proposal and worked towards making it a strong, enforceable regulation, given the nature of this file."

More information:

Plastic pellets are the raw material used for producing all plastics, also referred to as nurdles, nibs and resin pellets. Most pellets are microplastics (up to 5 mm), while a minor part might be slightly bigger. The European Commission estimates that tackling plastic pellet losses during the manufacturing and supply chain has the potential to achieve up to 1/4^th of the overall reduction target of 30% release of microplastics by 2030. Source: Q&A on Measures to reduce microplastic pollution from plastic pellets(European Commission)

After the plenary session, representatives of the CoR political groups and the European Commission discussed the progress and perspectives of the Zero Pollution Action Planat the 6^thZero Pollution Stakeholder Platform meeting, The Zero Pollution Stakeholder Platformwas set up in 2021 jointly by the European Commission and the CoR to support the zero-pollution ambition by bringing together stakeholders and experts of different policy areas.

Contact:

Lauri Ouvinen
Tel: +32 473 536 887
[email protected]