EU/920
WTO/TBT
CE European Union
  • 13 - Environment and health protection, Safety
  • 83 - Rubber and plastics industries
2022-11-04
2022-09-07

Products containing intentionally-added microplastics (particles with dimensions below 5 mm that are formed or coated by synthetic solid organic polymers which are insoluble and non-biodegradable).

Draft Commission Regulation amending Annex XVII to Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) as regards synthetic polymer microparticles; (13 page(s), in English), (15 page(s), in English)

This draft Regulation would introduce a new entry to Annex XVII to Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006. It would prohibit the placing on the market of microplastics intentionally added to products in concentration above 0.01% by weight. (Bio)degradable, water-soluble, inorganic and natural polymers are excluded from the scope of the restriction. The draft Regulation provides for a number of derogations from the ban on the placing on the market of microplastics, inter alia for uses at industrial sites or where microplastics releases could be avoided. For derogated uses, the draft Regulation requires that microplastics releases are 1) minimised though appropriate instructions for use and disposal of products and 2) monitored and reported annually to the European Chemicals Agency.