NEWS

EU Restrict Intentionally Added Microplastics

On 27 September 2023, European Union (EU) published commission regulation (EU) 2023/2055 amending Annex XVII to Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) as regards synthetic polymer microparticles. The new regulation will prohibit the sale of microplastics as such, and of products to which microplastics have been added on purpose and that release those microplastics when used. The new regulation will be implemented in phases, starting October 17, 2023.

Synthetic polymer microparticles means polymers that are solid and which fulfil both of the following conditions:
(a) are contained in particles and constitute at least 1 % by weight of those particles; or build a continuous surface coating on particles;
(b) at least 1 % by weight of the particles referred to in point (a) fulfil either of the following conditions:
(i)all dimensions of the particles are equal to or less than 5 mm;
(ii)the length of the particles is equal to or less than 15 mm and their length to diameter ratio is greater than 3.

The following polymers are excluded from this designation:
(a) polymers that are the result of a polymerisation process that has taken place in nature, independently of the process through which they have been extracted, which are not chemically modified substances;
(b) polymers that are degradable as proved in accordance with Appendix 15;
(c) polymers that have a solubility greater than 2 g/L as proved in accordance with Appendix 16;
(d) polymers that do not contain carbon atoms in their chemical structure.

For more information please check below link:
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=OJ%3AJOL_2023_238_R_0003&qid=1695804976302