OSPAR Best environmental practice to address marine litter
OSPAR’s work to address marine litter through the Regional Action Plans has been developing a valuable collection of best practice guidance developed to help tackle different aspects of marine litter pollution.
This page provides access to this guidance aimed at tackling different aspects of marine litter. The role for OSPAR to develop best environmental practices is set out in the General Obligations of the OSPAR Convention as one form of measure that can be taken by Contracting Parties for the prevention or elimination of marine pollution (Article 2, §3b), including marine litter.
In 2025, OSPAR adopted a Recommendation on the application of best practice for reducing marine litter in the OSPAR Maritime Area (Recommendation 2025/02). This aims to contribute to the reduction of litter in the marine environment of the OSPAR Maritime Area by setting out programmes and measures that could be taken by Contracting Parties to facilitate the application of such best practice guidelines. Reporting against this Recommendation helps Contracting Parties in meeting their obligations under the convention in ensuring that once developed, best practices can be made accessible and easily used. This part of the OSPAR website is also contributing to this goal.
A list of the best practice guidance included under the Recommendation is maintained and available here as OSPAR Agreement 2025-13.
Best practice for life cycle management of expanded polystyrene (EPS) and extruded polystyrene (XPS), as a means to reduce EPS and XPS becoming marine Litter
Title | |
Intended audience | All sectors that use EPS and XPS, including for packaging, components, products and construction. |
URL | |
Agreement number | OSPAR Agreement 2024-10 |
RAP ML Action | RAP ML 2 Action A.4.2 (also links to RAP ML 1 Action 49) |
Summary | This practical guide specifically considers best practice guidelines for the reduction and management of EPS / XPS in the marine environment. This collection of best practice has predominantly been drawn from the final reports of the OceanWise project, an INTERREG co- financed project which ran between 2018-2022, and was led by Portugal and Ireland, with support from France, Spain and the United Kingdom. Each best practice has been described in an individual factsheet. These factsheets contain introductory information which stakeholders can use to implement these practices. The factsheets intend to be a starting point to help stakeholders with the implementation of potential solutions for their business, clients, supply chain, and the entire life cycle of EPS and XPS, with a focus on the use and waste phases |
Included in Recommendation 2025-02 | Yes |
Reporting on application | Due 2027/28 |
Related documents | For other related documents see the A.4.2 RAP page |
Best practice for reducing the loss or leakage of plastic biomedia from wastewater treatment plants
Title | Best practice for reducing the loss or leakage of plastic biomedia from wastewater treatment plants |
Intended audience | Three Best Practice Briefs have been developed, each addressing different stakeholder groups responsible for the design and management of operations across the biomedia lifecycle: the regulatory authorities, WWTP designers and engineers and the WWTP operators. |
URL | |
Agreement number | OSPAR Agreement 2025-14 |
RAP ML Action | RAP ML 2 A.2.1 |
Summary | In 2024 OSPAR published a background document on ‘The use of plastic biomedia in wastewater treatment plants and potential measures to prevent their release’. This document emphasized that priority should be given to preventive and corrective measures that can effectively reduce the risk of leaking plastic biomedia at source and preventing their release to the marine environment. Cleanup of these small and highly mobile items once they are in the environment is costly and very difficult. This best practice document builds on the findings of the background document and sets out the preventative and corrective measures that can be taken by three key stakeholder groups that have responsibility for the regulation, engineering and design, and the operation of wastewater treatment plants using plastic biomedia. The identification of alternatives, as well as containment and cleaning measures, although important, has not been addressed by the background document, but has been flagged for consideration at a later stage. |
Included in Recommendation 2025-02 | Yes |
Reporting on application | Due 2027/28 |
Related documents | -------- |
OSPAR Best Environmental Practice for the handling of expanded polystyrene (EPS) and extruded polystyrene (XPS) on building and demolition sites, as a means to reduce EPS and XPS becoming marine litter (Agreement 2026-05)
Title | OSPAR Best Environmental Practice for the handling of expanded polystyrene (EPS) and extruded polystyrene (XPS) on building and demolition sites, as a means to reduce EPS and XPS becoming marine litter (Agreement 2026-05) |
Intended audience | |
URL | https://www.ospar.org/documents?v=68621 |
Agreement number | OSPAR Agreement 2026-05 |
RAP ML Action | RAP ML 2 A.4.2 |
Summary | This guidance document provides a structured approach for the most sustainable use and management of Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) and Extruded Polystyrene (XPS) in construction and demolition settings to minimise emissions to the environment. It also addresses the best practice for handling of EPS Packaging waste. The measures will in general contribute to recycling and thereby reducing needs for combustion or landfilling. |
Included in Recommendation 2025-02 | |
Reporting on application | |
Related documents |
Best environmental practice for the reduction of inputs from net cuttings waste into the marine environment
Title | |
Intended audience | Fishers, skippers and crews as well as port authorities. |
URL | https://www.ospar.org/documents?v=68451 |
Agreement number | OSPAR Agreement 2026-07 |
RAP ML Action | RAP ML 2 B.4.3 |
Summary | Targeting waste from net cuttings at its source is the most effective way to prevent material from becoming marine litter. Most pieces of net that become marine litter originate directly from mending activities carried out by fishers either on board a fishing vessel or while at port. Best environmental practices should be tailored to context-specific conditions. In doing so this best environmental practice recommends concrete actions that fishers, skippers and crews can take to limit inputs of net cutting waste to the marine environment as well as actions that port authorities can take to improve waste management. |
Included in Recommendation 2025-02 | |
Reporting on application | |
Related documents |
Best environmental practice guidance on the prevention, reporting, and management of end-of-life recreational vessels in the OSPAR Maritime Area
Title | |
Intended audience | The guidance is intended for all OSPAR Contracting Parties with coastlines and is aimed at practitioners and policymakers directly engaged in the management of recreational vessels at end-of-life. |
URL | https://www.ospar.org/documents?v=68416 |
Agreement number | Agreement 2026-06 |
RAP ML Action | RAP ML 2 B.2.1 |
Summary | Recreational vessels, when abandoned at the end of their life, can lead to litter, contamination and microplastics spreading into the marine environment. This can negatively impact marine ecosystems and human health. This guidance has been developed in direct response to a recommendation by the OSPAR Commission and provides practical, accessible best environmental practice for the OSPAR Maritime Area |
Included in Recommendation 2025-02 | |
Reporting on application | |
Related documents |
Best Practices in development for consideration in 2026
- [in development]: Best practices for preventing and reducing riverine macro litter inputs (RAP Action A.4.1)
- [In development] Best Practice Guidelines for the prevention of marine litter from End-of-Life Recreational Vessels in the OSPAR Maritime Area (RAP ML 2 Action B.2.1)
- [In development] Best Practice Guidelines to prevent marine litter from net cuttings (RAP ML 2 Action B.4.3)
