Danish Shipping has warmly welcomed the new EU regulation to enhance the safe transport of plastic pellets by sea and provided the specific requirements stated in the regulation.
On 8 April 2025, the Council of the EU and the European Parliament reached a provisional agreement on new regulations aimed at reducing plastic pellet losses which are key contributors to microplastic pollution. According to Danish Shipping, it is an important step forward that The European Union has adopted binding rules to secure safer transport of plastic pellets.
Nina Porst, Director of Climate, Environment and Security at Danish Shipping, said that the rules had a strong focus on prevention, containment, and effective clean-up of spills, which was exactly what they had been asking for. She expressed her satisfaction that the rules strengthened environmental safeguards while avoiding excessive administrative burdens on the maritime sector and ensuring fair competition between EU and non-EU carriers. She described the approach as balanced and pragmatic, and stated that it was one they could fully support.
What happens next – key provisions and timeline
For maritime transport, specific requirements will apply:
- Plastic pellets must be packaged in high-quality, sealed containers.
- Clear and accurate information on the contents must be provided.
- Packaging must include a warning label and pictogram, or this must be included on an accompanying safety data sheet.
- Strict stowage instructions must be followed.
- In the event of an accidental or incidental spill, emergency services must be notified immediately, and all necessary actions must be taken to mitigate environmental damage and prevent recurrence.
- The regulation enters into force 20 days after its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. For maritime transport, the rules will become applicable 36 months after the entry into force.
