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

2. 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

8. 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, 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)

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

10. 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

11. 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

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

13. Uses & Alternatives Cosmetics and PCP Paints Cleaning products
Most advanced substitution in exfoliating (rinse-off) uses
€ – € reformulation
2.4% average content in cosmetics
NZ: $ 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

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

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

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

17. 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

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

19. Thank you! evgenia.stoyanova@echa.europa.eu
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