Latest ECHA Committee for Risk Assessment meeting sees heated discussion on definition of microplastics

The Committee for Risk Assessment (RAC) of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) met in September to address a number of pressing issues. Microplastics once again took centre stage however. Stakeholders were invited during the meeting to better clarify the points of the proposed restriction on microplastics. A heated discussion eventually arose on the definition of microplastics given by ECHA’s proposed restriction. Stakeholders notably disagreed on the elements of the microplastic definition; substances excluded from the definition; natural polymers (not chemically modified) and biodegradable polymers. In particular, the lower limit of 1nm indicated in the definition was much debated. Read the full meeting debrief here.

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