Waste: new obligations to prevent plastic pellet loss

Discover the requirements of Regulation (EU) 2025/2365 on plastic pellets: loss prevention, risk management plan, and certifications for transporters and operators.

Margaux Couble
Update : 
16.01.2026
Publication: 
16.01.2026
Contents
Example H2
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New European requirements apply to the handling and transport of plastic pellets in order to prevent losses throughout the supply chain.

Plastic pellets, used as raw material to manufacture most plastic products, are now widely dispersed during transport and handling. According to the European Commission, they are the third largest source of microplastic pollution in the European Union, with up to 184,000 tons lost each year, constituting a significant source of pollution.

In response to these concerns, and with the aim of protecting the environment and human health, Regulation (EU) 2025/2365 of November 12, 2025 imposes new requirements on economic operators and transporters to prevent the loss of these plastic pellets throughout their supply chain.

More specifically, who is affected by this European Regulation?

The requirements set out in this European Regulation concern:

  • economic operators who have handled plastic pellets in the Union in quantities equal to or greater than a threshold of five tons during the previous calendar year;
  • economic operators operating facilities in the Union for the cleaning of tanks and containers for plastic pellets;
  • EU carriers and third-country carriers responsible for transporting plastic pellets within the Union; and
  • shippers and operators, agents, and captains of seagoing vessels transporting plastic pellets in containers that leave or call at a port in a Member State.

What are the main obligations for economic operators and carriers?

The main requirements concern the following points:

  • Preventing plastic pellet loss
  • Contain and clean up these spills immediately.
  • In case of failure, implement corrective measures without delay.
  • Report facilities to the relevant authorities
  • Establish a spill and loss risk management plan
  • Train personnel responsible for handling or transporting granules
  • Keep a record of estimated annual losses and total quantities of plastic pellets handled.
  • In case of loss, immediately notify the emergency services, minimize the consequences, and provide the required information to the competent authorities within a maximum of 30 days.
  • In the event of non-compliance, inform the competent authority, restore compliance as soon as possible, and comply with any additional measures imposed by the competent authority.

Additional obligations for larger companies

Companies handling at least 1,500 tons of pellets per year must also comply with the following requirements:

  • Obtaining a certificate of compliance from an accredited certifier, according to a schedule defined based on the size of the company.

Note: Economic operators registered in the Community eco-management and audit scheme (EMAS) are exempt from the requirement to hold a certificate.

  • Annual assessment of compliance with the risk management plan for large and medium-sized enterprises
  • Certificates must be renewed every 3 years for large companies and every 4 years for medium-sized companies. Smaller companies only need to renew their self-certification of compliance every 5 years.

Stronger rules for maritime transport

With regard to container shipping, shippers must ensure that the packaging is of good quality and sealed, and that transport information is provided to the operator, agent, and captain of the sea vessel before the pellets are loaded, with a special request for stowage.

Operators and captains of seagoing vessels must also ensure that containers are stowed below deck or on board in areas protected from exposed decks.

Other special provisions

The regulation also specifies:

  • the conditions for accreditation of certifiers
  • information made available to the public by the competent authorities
  • the procedures for verification by the competent authorities of compliance with the regulation
  • the arrangements made for the designation by Member States of the competent authorities and their powers
  • the information and assistance made available to the public by the Commission
  • complaint handling and access to justice
  • penalties: administrative and financial penalties of up to at least 3% of annual turnover in the EU, as well as criminal penalties, may apply
  • compensation for damage to human health

Implementation deadlines

The regulation shall apply from December 17, 2027.

However, the following obligations shall apply from December 16, 2025:

  • Preventing granule spillage and taking immediate action to contain and clean up any spillage
  • Staff training
  • Designation of one or more competent authorities by Member States
  • Making awareness-raising and training materials available to the public on the internet by the Commission (this assistance must be provided by December 17, 2026, at the latest)
  • Development of harmonized standards for estimating pellet loss by the Commission (this request must be made no later than December 17, 2026)

Furthermore, shippers and operators, agents, and captains of seagoing vessels are only affected by this regulation as of December 17, 2028.

Note: The AGEC law and the GPI decree already provided for some of these provisions in French regulations.