Microplastics restrictions in the EU

Invisible to the naked eye but pervasive across our ecosystems, microplastics have infiltrated everything from the deepest oceans to the food we eat.  As scientific evidence mounts on their potential harm to human health and the environment, governments worldwide are facing mounting pressure to regulate these pollutants more stringently – with the EU leading the way in the fight against microplastics pollution. 

What are microplastics & why are they an issue?

The EU broadly defines microplastics as synthetic polymer particles below five millimeters that are organic, insoluble and resist degradation. They can either be added to a product intentionally to impart it with favorable characteristics or are generated unintentionally when larger plastics break down.  

A growing volume of microplastics is found in the environment, including in the sea and in soil, as well as in food and in drinking water. Once in the environment, microplastics do not biodegrade and tend to accumulate – unless they are specifically designed to biodegrade. While microplastics are useful, scientists, governments and consumers alike are starting to recognize them as a major threat to the environment. It is estimated our oceans contain around 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic, with a further 33 billion pounds of plastic entering every year.  

Microplastics are a concern because, once they are in the environment, they obstruct the food chain, causing devastation to the natural environment. For example, aquatic creatures often mistake them for food, causing them harm but also allowing the plastic to enter the food chain. Toxins within the plastic are then concentrated as we move up the food chain. In humans, microplastics can cause a variety of human health concerns, including neurotoxicity, dermal irritation and organ inflammation. 

Can you identify the sources of microplastics in your supply chain?

Determining whether you are intentionally adding microplastics to your products or unintentionally contributing to their release into the environment is key in determining which legislation could apply to your products and/or operations. 

For industries like cosmetics, cleaning products, agriculture, and textiles, microplastics might be intentionally included for their functional properties, such as in exfoliants, paint additives, or controlled-release fertilizers. In these cases, it is relatively easy to identify the source, but the task becomes more challenging in sectors where plastic particles are unintentional byproducts. For example, in the construction industry, microplastics can be present as part of plastic-based insulation materials or paints that degrade over time. In textiles, the shedding of synthetic fibers during washing can contribute to environmental microplastic pollution. 

The first step in addressing microplastic risk in your supply chain is a comprehensive audit. This involves reviewing raw materials, examining suppliers’ practices, and assessing the lifecycle of each product. Companies should ask critical questions: Are plastic-based components used in manufacturing? Do they degrade into smaller particles during production or use? Are there waste management systems in place to capture or mitigate these particles before they enter the environment? 

Identifying these sources is not only crucial for compliance with the relevant legislation but also for building sustainability into your business model – be it through developing better informed microplastics reduction strategies, switching to biodegradable alternatives, adopting closed-loop production processes, or investing in cleaner manufacturing technologies. 

Legislation restricting intentionally added microplastics

REACH  restriction on intentionally added microplastics 

On 27 September 2023, the EU Commission adopted Regulation (EU) 2023/2055 which prohibits the sale of microplastics as such, and of products to which microplastics have been added intentionally and that release those microplastics when used. This ban is subject to a phased implementation timeline per category of products, depending on the impact of the environment, the necessity of use in products and the lack of alternatives for industries. 

The REACH microplastics restriction also establishes new information and reporting requirements for manufacturers, suppliers and industrial downstream users of microplastics and products containing them. For example, as of 17 October 2025, suppliers of microplastics for use at industrial sites will have to provide use and disposal instructions to professional users and the public (consumers), detailing how to prevent microplastics from being released into the environment.   

Moreover, manufacturers and industrial downstream users of microplastics in the form of pellets, flakes and powders used as feedstock in plastic manufacturing at industrial sites will be required to comply with new annual reporting obligations, from May 2026 onwards. 

Fertilizing Products Regulation 

The EU Fertilizing Products Regulation (FPR) entered into force on 16 July 2022. As can be deduced from the title, its main aim is facilitating the safe marketing and use of fertilizers in the EU. To this end, the FPR also acknowledges the issue of microplastic and plastic pollution originating from fertilizers containing them by establishing component material (CMC) limits for these micro-pollutants. 

In particular, it requires manufacturers of fertilizers to ensure that the compost, digestate or precipitated phosphate salts used in an EU fertilizing product do not contain any more than 3 grams per kilogram (g/kg) dry matter of macroscopic impurities above 2 mm in any of the following forms of glass, metal or plastics –  nor any more than 5 g/kg dry matter of the sum of the aforementioned impurities in macroscopic form. The limits for plastics will be reduced to 2,5 g/kg dry matter from 16 July 2026 and are set to become even stricter in the future.  

The FPR also requires manufacturers to, as part of their quality assurance process, refuse any consignment of any given fertilizer input material where visual inspection raises any suspicion of the presence of, among others, plastics exceeding the above-mentioned limit values. For this reason, the manufacturer must ensure their staff is trained on potential hazardous properties that can be associated with input materials and features that allow hazardous properties and the presence of plastics to be recognized.