Microplastics - In prima vista NeRSAP Mar 12-13, 2018 Evgenia Stoyanova Risk Management Implementation European Chemicals Agency

Microplastics Within scope of assessment Primary microplastics: beads, capsules, fibres, pellets used in cosmetics and personal care products, industrial scrubbers used for abrasive blast cleaning, microfibers used in textiles, and virgin resin pellets (‘nurdles’) used in plastic manufacturing ‘Microbeads’: any solid plastic particle that is less than 5 mm intended to be used to exfoliate, cleanse or polish the human body or any part thereof Secondary microplastics: the result of larger pieces of plastic breaking down into smaller pieces. This occurs when plastic debris is exposed to sunlight or mechanical forces and the plastic begins to weather and fragment Outside scope of assessment

Existing action Several national bans: France – Jan 1, 2018, exception for particles of natural origin not liable to persist in the environment, release active chemical or biological ingredients or affect animal food chains UK – Jan 1, 2018 (manufacture), June 30, 2018 (sale) Sweden – products consisting solely of natural polymers (long molecules that have not been synthesised and that have not been chemically modified) are excluded. Jul 1, 2018 & 6 extra months for stocks purchased before Jul 1 Italy – 2020 and plastic cotton buds – 2019 US – manufacture and sale of microbeads (mid-2017 & 1yr transition for over-the-counter drugs) Canada – Jan 1, 2018 + 6 months for over-the-counter drugs New Zealand – May 30, 2018 (manufacture) Rinse-off products containing microbeads are no longer allowed to use the EU Ecolabel (EU Commission Decision 2014/893/EU)

Commission request Assess the need to restrict the use of intentionally added microplastics to consumer or professional use products of any kind Define microplastics

Risk Release to environment: predominantly via wastewater (effluents or sludge) – aquatic compartment / soils Ecotoxicity Physical hazards (‘blockage of digestive tract’) Release of additives (organic and metals) Release of accumulated hazardous substances (e.g. PCBs) Particles persist in the environment Particles accumulate in biota

Challenges Scope: Risk assessment of material Alternatives: Benefits Definition of microplastics Uses defining the uses to be restricted Risk assessment of material Availability of scientific evidence to demonstrate risk Alternatives: “no known alternatives” for some applications Benefits Difficult to define what we value

Uses Use Estimated tonnages Cosmetics Rinse off Leave on - Superabsorbents 714 – 793 tonnes/yr & 540 – 1 120 tonnes/yr Paints & coatings >220 tonnes Detergents & cleaning products 190 – 200 tonnes Industrial abrasives Sandblasting 1 000 – 5 000 (burned?) Oil & gas - in drilling fluids Use in offshore exploration can be substantial Agriculture Nutrient prills Controlled release coatings Soil additives… Up to 8 000 tonnes of polymers – no info on share of microplastics

Uses & Alternatives Cosmetics and PCP Paints Cleaning products Most advanced substitution in exfoliating (rinse-off) uses €50 000 – €340 000 reformulation 2.4% average content in cosmetics NZ: $10 000 reformulation, UK: none Paints Substitution in waterborne applications difficult Cleaning products Bathroom acid cleaner – no known alternatives The comparative hardness of some alternatives may make them unsuitable for some applications Industrial abrasives In/organic bonded abrasives – no known alternatives

Main goal Alternatives for specific applications Time to transition to alternatives Costs to transition to alternatives Reformulation Profit loss Loss of product quality

Proportionality Put the costs in perspective: Proxies for benefits Cost-effectiveness Affordability Comparison to second best RMO: upgrade of WWTPs

Proxies for Benefits Impact on fishing supplies Impact on water quality => Not all attributable to proposed restriction Emission reduction WTP/Willingness for action

Use of cost-effectiveness Cost-effectiveness of exfoliants – a check/ benchmark for “acceptable” costs to industry Cost-effectiveness of use (e.g., detergents)  Cost-effectiveness of exfoliants

Timelines Call for evidence: Feb 28 Workshop: mid-May Submission: Jan 2019

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