Microplastics
Microplastics are very small fragments of plastic material, less than 5 mm. They can be harmful to health and the environment due to their size, surface properties, resistance to degradation and because they can carry harmful chemicals. Microplastics in nature come from pellets, paint, tires, textiles, personal care products and various plastic items. They have been found at sea, in sediments, sludge from water treatment plants , agricultural soil, the Arctic sea ice as well as Antarctic freshwaters .
Microplastics have been detected in various aquatic organisms across the food chain, from zooplankton to vertebrates and in human tissues and organs such as blood and placenta .
How does the Nordic Swan Ecolabel contribute?
The Nordic Swan Ecolabel uses the precautionary principle and strives to limit the use and release of microplastics wherever possible.
Intentionally added microplastics are banned in Nordic Swan Ecolabel cosmetics, including soaps, shampoos and sunscreens, in cleaning products and dishwashing detergents, and in laundry detergents for consumers. In hotels, restaurants and canteens all chemicals for cleaning, dishwashing and internal laundry must be ecolabelled and thus without microplastics.
The goal is to reduce the amount of microplastics in the environment and prevent the release of microplastics through wear and tear (secondary microplastics) when technical solutions are available. For example:
- Synthetic textiles and microfibre cloths and mops must be tested for loss of microfibre fragments and for microfibre cloths and mops there is a limit to how much can be released.
- Nordic Swan Ecolabel textile services and vehicle wash installations are rewarded if they take measures to reduce microplastic emissions.
Definition of “microplastics”
In 2023 the EU adopted this definition of synthetic polymer microparticles, commonly referred to as microplastics:
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% of the 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 [to REACH, Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006];
(c) polymers that have a solubility greater than 2 g/L as proved in accordance with Appendix 16 [to REACH, Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006];
(d) polymers that do not contain carbon atoms in their chemical structure.
This definition includes rubber particles. The EU has adopted it in its regulation restricting intentionally added microplastics in certain products. The Nordic Swan Ecolabel uses the same definition, but some criteria revised before 2023 have an old definition, which has been used by the EU Ecolabel.
More environmental background
Microplastics can physically affect organisms by taking up space in their guts or because they carry harmful chemicals. Microplastics can accumulate in living organisms, such as fish and shellfish, and humans can ingest microplastics through air, food and water. Reduced growth, survival and reproduction have been shown for aquatic and terrestrial organisms in laboratory experiments, mostly under non-realistic conditions, but also with microplastic concentrations that are found in nature.
Possible effects on human health are still unclear. Effects may vary greatly depending on the organism and the type of plastic, and the scientific knowledge is insufficient. If measures are not taken, microplastics may accumulate in the environment and pose an increasing threat.
It is common to distinguish between primary and secondary microplastics:
- Primary microplastics are deliberately manufactured and often added to products for a specific purpose, such as scrubbing agents in detergents and in personal care products like lotion and soap. They are also used in construction products and in fertilizers and pesticides for agriculture. Microplastics from production and washing of textiles can also be regarded as primary.
- Secondary microplastics are frequently formed when larger pieces of plastics wear. Such microplastics originate from tires, rubber granules for football fields, paints, pellets, synthetic textiles, single-use plates and straws and other plastic items.