How the European Green Deal can help stop microplastic from paint reaching the ocean

The author contends that the EU Sustainability Taxonomy, a pillar of the European Green Deal, provides a critical mechanism to stop paint microplastics from entering the ocean. By requiring companies to prove they "Do No Significant Harm" (DNSH), the EU can force a shift from harmful open sandblasting and water jetting to circular vacuum blasting and preventative maintenance. The document highlights that paint particles can constitute 12% to 55% of microplastics in some samples, with annual ocean emissions estimated between 1.5 million and 2.25 million tonnes.

• Paint microplastic emissions entering the ocean annually are estimated at 1.5 million to 2.25 million tonnes, a volume comparable to 150 billion to 225 billion empty plastic bottles.
• Research indicates that paint fragments are a dominant source of marine microplastics, representing 12% to 55% of particles in some samples, and appearing in significantly higher concentrations than other plastics in waters off South Korea and around the Antarctic peninsula.
• Paint microplastic emissions are categorized into three types: "Passive" emissions from weather and corrosion, "Active" emissions from industrial surface maintenance like open sandblasting, and "End of Life" emissions from vessel disposal and dismantling.
• The author proposes two technical solutions to eliminate these emissions: replacing traditional surface maintenance with circular vacuum blasting technology to stop active emissions, and adopting continuous preventative maintenance to stop passive emissions from corrosion.
• Integrating paint microplastics into the "Do No Significant Harm" (DNSH) criteria of the EU Sustainability Taxonomy would compel companies in green, blue, brown, and olive industries to adopt sustainable maintenance practices to qualify for ESG investing.

APA

Angelskår, D. M. A. T. (2021). How the European Green Deal can help stop microplastic from paint reaching the ocean. World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/stories/nature-and-biodiversity/how-the-european-green-deal-can-stop-ocean-paint-microplastic-emissions-right-now/

Chicago

Angelskår, Declan Mc Adams, Tore. How the European Green Deal can help stop microplastic from paint reaching the ocean. World Economic Forum, 2021. https://www.weforum.org/stories/nature-and-biodiversity/how-the-european-green-deal-can-stop-ocean-paint-microplastic-emissions-right-now/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Angelskår |first1=Declan Mc Adams, Tore |title=How the European Green Deal can help stop microplastic from paint reaching the ocean |publisher=World Economic Forum |date=23 February 2021 |url=https://www.weforum.org/stories/nature-and-biodiversity/how-the-european-green-deal-can-stop-ocean-paint-microplastic-emissions-right-now/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{angelskr2021how, author = {Angelskår, Declan Mc Adams, Tore}, title = {{How the European Green Deal can help stop microplastic from paint reaching the ocean}}, publisher = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2021}, month = feb, url = {https://www.weforum.org/stories/nature-and-biodiversity/how-the-european-green-deal-can-stop-ocean-paint-microplastic-emissions-right-now/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }