Microplastic Pollution in Belgian Community Shows Need for EU Rules

The Walloon region of Belgium is known for its food, drink and medieval history. But one picturesque town there, Ecaussinnes, has a new and unfortunate claim to notoriety: chronic pollution from tiny white plastic pellets. These pellets, which are extremely difficult to see with the naked eye, are the building blocks of myriad products and, when lost from industrial sites, present a significant environmental challenge.

The source of this pollution is large petrochemical operations, which have been active in Ecaussinnes since the 1970s and use plastic pellets extensively. And for more than 10 years, plastic pellets have been found in fields around Ecaussinnes; in the Sennette River, which flows through the city; and even as far as 8 kilometres from the industrial zone.

Once in the environment, these pellets are almost impossible to clean up because of their tiny size, and they can be ingested by wildlife—including fulmars, a species of seabird—leading to the transfer of toxic chemicals up the food chain. More broadly, microplastic pollution affects ecosystems and human health by contaminating water sources and entering the food web. The European Council is considering a legislative proposal to mitigate plastic pellet loss through a comprehensive supply chain approach.

Earlier this year, The Pew Charitable Trusts, together with Surfrider Foundation Europe, organised a field trip to Ecaussinnes to show journalists and policymakers the extent of the pollution. On the trip, which resulted in coverage in outlets including Euractiv and Politico,  journalists saw the plastic pellets embedded in the soil near the industrial zones and scattered across fields and riverbanks. The trip highlighted the real impact of the pollution on the community and its natural surroundings—underscoring the need for urgent regulatory action.

This problem is not unique to Ecaussinnes. Across the European Union, plastic pellets are the third-largest source of microplastic pollution, which also includes tyre dust, paint particles and textile fibres.  Despite current voluntary guidelines for industry, an estimated 184,290 tonnes of these pellets are lost to the environment in Europe each year, equivalent to 5 kg lost every second. It’s clear that legislative action to tackle pellet loss is needed—and soon—if the EU is to meet its target of reducing microplastic pollution by 30 per cent by 2030.

In fact, mandatory regulations could prevent this pollution from happening in the first place if those rules cover the entire supply chain, prioritise precautionary measures and ensure robust requirements for the manufacture, handling and transportation of pellets. Preventing pellet pollution at the source, versus trying to clean it up later, is not only better for the environment and human health but also more cost-effective for companies and governments.

The 27 EU Member States can ensure that this pressing issue receives the attention and action it requires by strengthening and adopting the legislative proposal. Our recommendations in 8 Ways that the EU Can Strengthen Plastic Pollution Legislation outline how Member States can make the legislation as ambitious as possible and hopefully turn the tide on chronic pellet pollution experienced by Ecaussinnes and communities all over Europe.

Natacha Tullis leads The Pew Charitable Trusts’ efforts to advance European Union legislation to curb microplastic pollution.