FAQ on the EU microplastics ban

The EU microplastics ban will require companies to stop adding microplastics to their products and switch to safer alternatives. The new rule is estimated to prevent the release of about half a million tons of microplastics into the environment. It has a rolling implementation with deadlines for the phaseout of microplastics in specified products. Some aspects of the microplastics ban are already in effect.

Below are the deadlines for microplastic phaseout in certain products:

• Oct. 17, 2023: Loose glitter
• 2027: Rinse-off cosmetics
• 2028: Detergents, waxes, polishes, nonexcluded fertilizers, and certain horticultural and agricultural products
• 2029: Fragrances, leave-on cosmetics, and medical devices
• 2031: Plant protection products, biocidal products, and synthetic turf infill
• 2035: Lip, nail, and makeup products

Additionally, suppliers of lip, nail, and makeup products will have to include the statement “This product contains microplastics” on the label, packaging, or package leaflet starting in 2031 until the effective microplastics ban in 2035.

Products with microplastics not expected to be released into the environment (such as industrial products in closed systems) are not banned. However, manufacturers are required to provide instructions on proper use and disposal. Products already regulated under other EU legislation, such as medicinal products, food, and animal feed, are also excluded from the restriction.

The microplastics ban is the EU’s latest effort in reaching its broader environmental goals. Launched in December 2019, the European Green Deal laid out a series of policy initiatives that aim to achieve EU climate neutrality by 2050. The initiatives cover a variety of topics affected by climate change, including waste and chemicals.

Microplastics regulation is part of the EU’s Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP) and Zero Pollution Action Plan (ZPAP), two initiatives under the European Green Deal. CEAP established the EU’s plastics strategy to tackle plastic pollution and transition to a resource-efficient plastics economy. Additionally, the ZPAP calls for a reduction in air, water, and soil pollution to levels no longer considered harmful to health and natural ecosystems by 2050. Key 2030 targets of both action plans include reducing microplastics released into the environment by 30%. 

The U.S. has also made efforts to reduce plastic pollution through product compliance, including the Microbead-Free Waters Act of 2015, which prohibits the manufacturing, packaging, and distribution of rinse-off cosmetics containing plastic microbeads. On April 21, 2023, the Biden administration announced the creation of the Interagency Policy Committee on Plastic Pollution and a Circular Economy. The committee intends to coordinate federal efforts on plastic pollution and prioritize public health. That same day, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published the "Draft National Strategy to Prevent Plastic Pollution" to identify strategies for reducing plastic waste.