The European Commission’s proposal in 2023 to tackle microplastic pollution is moving to the final stages of adoption. Aiming to reduce microplastic pollution from the loss of plastic pallets during shipping, the proposed regulation seeks to set out best handling practices, mandatory certification and self-declaration, and provide for the development of a harmonised methodology to estimate losses. Not to be confused with existing regulations governing the use of plastic and chemicals such as the Single Use Plastic Directive, Waste Framework Directive, Packing and Packing Waste Directive, and the Synthetic Polymer Microplastic found in the 2023 REACH amendment, this new legislation seeks to address the unintended release of microplastic into the environment via the loss of plastic pallets in transit, which contributes to 7-10% of unintentional release of microplastic in the EU.
These new obligations include the loading, unloading, cleaning and maintenance operations. Similar to many recent EU regulations that seek to simplify and reduce burdens for small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Based on the annual amount of plastic pallets handled, SMEs and large operators that handle fewer than 1,000 tonnes of pallets per year are subjected to lighter obligations such as one-off certification 5 years after the regulation comes into effect.
This new rule will have minimal impact on ASEAN businesses as it targets economic operators that handle more than 5 tonnes of plastic pallets in the EU, and all EU-and non-EU transport carriers calling or leaving an EU port. Under the new proposal, the companies are subjected to these obligations:
- prevention to avoid spills of pellets from primary containment during routine handling
- containment of spilled pellets to make sure they do not become a loss to the environment
- clean-up after a spill or loss event
