C.1.1 Prevent microplastic pollution resulting from plastic pellet, powder and flake loss
Action Theme: Theme C: Actions to reduce Cross cutting land and sea based sources of marine litter
Action number: C.1.1
Action Title: Prevent microplastic pollution resulting from plastic pellet, powder and flake loss
Lead Party(ies): Netherlands and United Kingdom with support from Denmark, France, Germany, KIMO and Seas at Risk
Image: ©Shutterstock
What is the issue?
All plastic products are made from plastic pellets, powders, or flakes. This material is handled and managed across every stage of a supply chain including production, transport, storage, conversion into final products, recycling, and disposal. Pellets can be lost at every point of the plastics supply chain and once in the environment are impossible to retrieve. As a result of its work under RAP 1 (Action 52) OSPAR adopted a Recommendation on plastic pellet loss prevention (OSPAR Recommendation 2021/6 on the reduction of plastic pellet loss into the marine environment).
However, it is acknowledged that accidents happen even when precautionary measures are taken, and pellets are and will be lost to the environment. The OSPAR region has already been subject to pellet pollution incidents affecting shorelines and has no existing international guidance to assist in dealing with the aftermath. There are many lessons to be learned from other incidents, including the Express Pearl accident of 2021 off Sri Lanka, and a collaborative approach to developing this guidance would benefit all Contracting Parties.
What has OSPAR done?
This action will help prevent microplastic pollution by:
a) Monitoring and reviewing the development and implementation of the OSPAR recommendation 2021/6. .
b) Developing guidance to support clean-ups after accidental losses of plastic pellets from both off and on shore sources.
OSPAR’s continued focus on pellet loss prevention will also serve the purpose of demonstrating international concern and pressure on the plastics industry to deliver a certification system with a high level of ambition, aiming for zero pellet loss.
Final outputs and published reports
It is envisaged that this action will deliver:
- A report which reviews the final plastics industry international pellet loss prevention certification scheme design andits alignment with OSPAR requirements. This report will also highlight any additional measures, guidance or recommendations needed to further reduce pellet loss.
- A guidance document to support contracting parties in the management and handling of pellet loss clean-ups.
