Non-paper - Call for ambitious EU measures to reduce and prevent microplastics pollution
Denmark, France, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Norway
Date: 26 April 2023
Microplastics end up in the environment at all stages of the plastics lifecycle
–
production, use and
disposal. They take on a variety of shapes and sizes. They spread through the air, water and soil, and
are even found in biota and human bodies. In addition, there are indications that microplastics can
be harmful to human health and ecosystems, including aquatic species.
The need to address microplastics pollution is becoming increasingly urgent. We therefore welcome
the Commission’s ambition to reduce emissions of microplastics into the environment by 30% by
2030. Yet, EU legislation to fully achieve the proposed reduction target and significantly reduce
microplastics pollution is currently lacking. Denmark, France, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands
and Norway therefore call on the Commission to introduce the necessary measures to reach the
proposed reduction target in the proposal on
‘Microplastics pollution –
measures to reduce impacts
on the environment’.
In addition, the proposed measures to tackle microplastics pollution should
also be adequately incorporated into all relevant European policy and legislation, such as the
Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), the revision of the EU Waste Framework
Directive, the Single-Use Plastics Directive, and the revision of the Packaging and Packaging Waste
Directive.
We would ask the Commission to take account of the three guiding principles below for ambitious
European measures to reduce and prevent microplastics pollution:
1. Data and knowledge
–
towards European monitoring, supervision and enforcement
Scientific knowledge about microplastics is constantly growing. It is clear that microplastics end up in
the environment, accumulate in the food chain and are subsequently detected in the human body.
They don't belong there. More research is needed into the precise effects of microplastics on human
health and ecosystems and how to prevent microplastics pollution, for instance by gaining a better
understanding of the (chemical) composition and effects of polymers and additives being produced,
marketed and used, and which are likely to end up in the environment.
Furthermore, it is important to develop uniform methods to monitor the volume, characteristics and
quantity of microplastics in water, soil, and air, and to identify the main sources. Harmonized
methods are also needed to enforce the relevant EU legislation with regard to microplastics.
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