| | Preventing marine litter at source is essential to protecting our marine environment. Through its second Regional Action Plan on Marine Litter, OSPAR continues to develop and promote practical best practice guidance to help tackle the many different sources of litter entering the marine environment across the North-East Atlantic.
2026 has seen the publication of several new OSPAR Best Environmental Practice guidelines, addressing a range of important sources of marine litter. These include guidance on the handling of expanded and extruded polystyrene (EPS/XPS) on building and demolition sites (Agreement 2026-05), the prevention, reporting and management of end-of-life recreational vessels (Agreement 2026-06), and reducing inputs of net cuttings waste from fishing activities (Agreement 2026-07). Together, these guidelines provide practical recommendations for relevant industries, stakeholders and authorities, helping to prevent litter entering the marine environment in the first place.
The new guidance builds on OSPAR's growing collection of marine litter best practice resources, which already covers areas such as the life-cycle management of EPS and XPS products, preventing plastic biomedia losses from wastewater treatment plants, reducing plastic pellet loss, and implementing Fishing for Litter initiatives and sustainability training for fishers.
A key development has also been the adoption of OSPAR Recommendation 2025/02, which encourages Contracting Parties to promote and facilitate the application of OSPAR's best practice guidance through national measures, stakeholder engagement and information sharing.
Image: ©Stefanie Werner |  | | Handling of expanded and extruded polystyrene (EPS/XPS) on building and demolition sites | | 
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| |  | | Reducing inputs of net cuttings waste from fishing activities | | |
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|  | | Prevention, reporting and management of end-of-life recreational vessels | | |
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