Sweden advocates restrictions to Microplastics in cosmetics and other chemical, by Jairo Andrade Junior, C&J Consulting, Chemical Engineer, 2018-03-31
Jairo Andrade-Junior
Occupational Health, Safety, and Environment Manager at CBRE Brasil
A Swedish investigation into whether further national restrictions on microplastics or microbeads in cosmetics and other chemical products are needed concluded that such action would be better carried out at European Union (EU) level in the first instance.
Sweden's chemical agency KEMI which carried out the research, says the work being done at EU level on restriction proposals could result in reliable decision material and clear and harmonized rules and regulations which would also be cost-effective.
The investigation follows the Swedish government's decision in February 2018 to ban microplastics with a cleansing, exfoliating or polishing effect in rinse-off cosmetics products.
With the ban already planned, the government asked KEMI in 2017 to look at the occurrence of microplastics in certain cosmetics products that are not covered by the prohibition.
The agency says its assessment is based on striking a balance between environmental concerns and the consequences of a national restriction. The assessment has also taken account of the uncertain level of knowledge we have about microplastics.
Microplastics are defining as solid plastic particles smaller than 5mm in any dimension and insoluble in water.
KEMI identified polymers and waxes that might be microplastics in both cosmetics and chemical products. However, it does not have sufficient material at present to assess with certainty which polymers ought to be designated as microplastics. In currant days it is difficult to identify existing alternatives or replacements that can be developed.
Kemi estimates that between 0.2 and 4.4 tonnes of microplastics per year are emitted to the water environment from cosmetics products that are sold in Sweden.
Kemi says it plans to:
? participate in the development of restriction proposals on intentionally added microplastics in products at EU-level;
? act to encourage the EU Commission to consider the possibilities of introducing requirements on registration and evaluation in REACH for polymers;
? act to encourage voluntary measures to be taken in the sectors responsible for detergents and cosmetics;
? participate in work on microplastics standardisation;
? work to improve knowledge of microplastics in products through its ongoing mapping of hazardous substances; and
? act to improve coordination and dissemination of knowledge about plastic nanoparticles through the Swedish National Platform for Nanosafety.
The agency says it is committed to promoting greater knowledge on the part of researchers, public authorities and companies, especially regarding occurrence and properties of the smallest types that are used in products.
The agency said also that microplastics are widely used in products and services in the cosmetics industry. That is why Sweden proposed to extend its ban on microbeads in cosmetic rinses in 2017.
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6 年Thank for this interesting article, it seems that more and more countries are joining the growing number of nations ( UK, France, Italy, New Zealand, Canada US..) banning plastic microbeads in cosmetics, personal care and other products (?); other European countries have joined Sweden’s initiative [ plan to ban or limit the production and import of microbead products]: Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Luxemburg and Norway. But how to enforce it properly ....if not well harmonised"?