NGOs POSITION FOR AN IMPACTFUL RESTRICTION OF MICROPLASTICS

A coalition of 32 NGOs supports a total ban on intentionally added microplastics in the EU to prevent irreversible environmental pollution. While endorsing ECHA's risk assessment that no 'safe level' of microplastics exists, the NGOs argue that proposed exemptions for 'biodegradable' plastics and long transitional periods for cosmetics and fertilizers would undermine the restriction's effectiveness.

• Microplastics pose a serious risk to the environment and a potential risk to human health, acting as a source of pollution that is currently "out of control". They are easily ingested by wildlife, transferred through food chains, and can fragment into nano-size particles that may enter cells and tissues.
• The undersigned NGOs support a restriction on all intentionally added microplastics regardless of sector or use, noting that such a measure could reduce microplastic emissions by approximately 400,000 tonnes over 20 years.
• The NGOs endorse ECHA's risk assessment approach which treats microplastics as 'non-threshold' substances, similar to persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT) substances, meaning that any release into the environment is considered a risk because no 'safe level' can be estimated.
• The coalition argues against derogations for 'biodegradable' microplastics, claiming that ECHA's proposed criteria are inadequate to ensure degradation occurs in real-world environmental conditions and timeframes, which would allow continued pollution.
• The document identifies fertilizers and plant protection products as the most significant sources of intentionally added microplastics, accounting for approximately 60% of emissions, or 23,500 tonnes per year.
• The NGOs criticize proposed transitional periods of 4 to 6 years for rinse-off cosmetics, leave-on cosmetics, detergents, and maintenance products as being disproportionate and unsubstantiated, given that alternatives are already available on the EU market.
• The authors urge the Commission to apply the 'non-essential use' concept from the Montreal Protocol to microplastics, arguing that uses in cosmetics and detergents are 'nice to have' rather than necessary for health, safety, or the functioning of society.

APA

ClientEarth (2019). NGOs POSITION FOR AN IMPACTFUL RESTRICTION OF MICROPLASTICS. https://www.clientearth.org/media/eafl5xia/ngo-position-for-an-impactful-restriction-of-microplastics-coll-en.pdf

Chicago

ClientEarth. NGOs POSITION FOR AN IMPACTFUL RESTRICTION OF MICROPLASTICS. 2019. https://www.clientearth.org/media/eafl5xia/ngo-position-for-an-impactful-restriction-of-microplastics-coll-en.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=ClientEarth |title=NGOs POSITION FOR AN IMPACTFUL RESTRICTION OF MICROPLASTICS |date=November 2019 |url=https://www.clientearth.org/media/eafl5xia/ngo-position-for-an-impactful-restriction-of-microplastics-coll-en.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{clientearth2019ngos, author = {{ClientEarth}}, title = {{NGOs POSITION FOR AN IMPACTFUL RESTRICTION OF MICROPLASTICS}}, publisher = {ClientEarth}, year = {2019}, month = nov, url = {https://www.clientearth.org/media/eafl5xia/ngo-position-for-an-impactful-restriction-of-microplastics-coll-en.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }