On November 12, 2025, the Council of the European Union adopted a new regulation – the Regulation on the Prevention of Plastic Particle Leaks (Regulation No. 2025/2365) (see the original text at the end of this article). The final text was published in the Official Journal of the European Union on November 26, 2025.
Plastic particles are widely used as raw materials in manufacturing. Once released, they do not biodegrade, thus posing a significant pollution risk. Plastic particles accumulate in oceans, rivers, soil, marine life, and ultimately in the human food chain.
Currently, it is estimated that 52,000 to 184,000 tons of particles leak into the environment annually, making it the third largest source of unintentional microplastic pollution. The newly adopted rules introduce stronger controls throughout the supply chain to reduce particle loss and address the broader problem of microplastic pollution.
The regulations set clear obligations for relevant companies. Any company that handled 5 tons or more of plastic pellets in the previous calendar year, including manufacturers, transporters, and cleaning facility operators, must comply with the new regulations.
To ensure compliance, the regulations employ a tiered management mechanism: smaller-scale businesses (less than 1,500 tons per year) can use a simplified self-declaration process; while larger-scale businesses must undergo periodic certification by independent third parties. All operators must conduct risk assessments, develop measures for preventing, controlling, and cleaning up leaks, and face stricter requirements for transportation, such as the use of more secure packaging and the provision of clear cargo information.
The regulations will come into effect on December 16, 2025. Most provisions will take effect on December 17, 2027. Some key provisions, including those concerning general obligations and specific business requirements, will apply earlier, from December 16, 2025.
The major incident on December 8, 2023, directly prompted the development of these regulations. At that time, a cargo ship lost six containers in deep waters more than 80 kilometers off the coast of Galicia, Spain. The cargo ship involved in the accident was registered in Liberia. Maersk Line, the company responsible, denied any responsibility, stating that the ship did not belong to them but was chartered. The bags were printed with the name of Polish plastic manufacturer Bedeko, which stated that the cargo belonged to an Indian company. According to the German Press Agency (dpa), the Galician regional government in Spain declared a state of environmental emergency (Level 2 alert) on the afternoon of September 9th due to plastic pellets washing ashore on the Atlantic coast.
Volunteers and local residents cleaned up the plastic pellets on the northern coast of Spain.
