Micro plastics A new challenge for the water industry? Greet De Gueldre – Aquafin/EUREAU Michaël Bentvelsen - UVW/EUREAU Stockholm World Water Week 2013

Contamination of marine and coastal environment by plastic waste emerging problem worldwide Stockholm WWW 3 Sep 2013 WS - Cooperation to Prevent Harmful Chemicals in the Water Cycle (95)% of marine litter 8 million pieces/day globally (UNEP) 10-28million tonnes/year tonnes on bed of North Sea Macro plastics Plastic soups Great Pacific Garbage Patch (Charles Moore, 1997) 2

Contamination of marine and coastal environment by plastic waste emerging problem worldwide Degradation/ fragmentation recent studies (US, UK, BE, NL, MICRO, CLEANSEA): micro plastics accumulate on beaches, water column, sea floor real distribution not clear, different sources more close to densely populated areas and areas receiving sewage Macro plastics Micro plastics 3 Stockholm WWW 3 Sep 2013 WS - Cooperation to Prevent Harmful Chemicals in the Water Cycle

Contamination of marine and coastal environment by plastic waste emerging problem worldwide Plastic bouillons North Sea Micro plastics recent studies (US, UK, BE, NL, MICRO, CLEANSEA): micro plastics accumulate on beaches, water column, sea floor real distribution not clear, different sources more close to densely populated areas and areas receiving sewage 4 Stockholm WWW 3 Sep 2013 WS - Cooperation to Prevent Harmful Chemicals in the Water Cycle

Micro plastics –What are they Really? Synthetic polymer particles 1µm - 5 mm nanoparticles 5 Stockholm WWW 3 Sep 2013 WS - Cooperation to Prevent Harmful Chemicals in the Water Cycle Polyethylene (PE), polyethylene terefthalate (PET), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polypropylene (PP), polytetrafluorethylene (PTFE, teflon), polyester, polyamide (PA, nylon), acryl,... Chemically inert macromolecules Contain additives and residual monomers (bisphenol A, ftalates) Often also dyes, flame retardants, surfactants Possibly also adsorption of micro pollutants

Micro plastics –What are they Really? Synthetic polymer particles 1µm - 5 mm nanoparticles Secondary sources Primary sources Degradation plastic litter Personal care products Washing synthetic clothes Wear of tires, … Pre-production pellets (nurdles ) 6 Stockholm WWW 3 Sep 2013 WS - Cooperation to Prevent Harmful Chemicals in the Water Cycle

RECENT studies suggest harmful impacts on humans and coastal and marine ecosystems  Ingestion an accumulation in tissues and cells ●Micro plastics already found in all marine trophical levels  Effects under study US: polystyrene particles have negative impact on photosynthesis of green algae ●Small nano plastics can be absorbed in human stomach and gut and end up in human lymphe, heart and blood vessels, causing inflammation or changes in gene expression ●Nano polystyrene was shown to be transported through the placenta to the embryo  Increase of chemical risk ●Adsorption, transport and release of chemicals/priority pollutants  Lack of knowledge on consequences 7 Stockholm WWW 3 Sep 2013 WS - Cooperation to Prevent Harmful Chemicals in the Water Cycle

90% accumulated in sludge WWTP S and stormwater overflows are considered to be inland source of micro plastics particles/garment/wash (UK) > 100 fibres/litre wastewater Treated water Sludge 1 (AUS) up to (NL) particles/litre Extrapolation for Flanders 2,3 billion litres effluent/day = 46 billion particles/day = MUCH??? Yearly cost of treatment = 0,7 EUR/m 3 + 0,15-0,30 EUR/m 3 for PP + … ??? 2,4 mg/person/day (NL) More studies Data!!! More studies Data!!! 8 Stockholm WWW 3 Sep 2013 WS - Cooperation to Prevent Harmful Chemicals in the Water Cycle

Micro plastics currently high on the European agenda  MSFD (2008/56/EC) – criteria and indicators for targets and measures for GES  Descriptor 10: Properties and quantities of marine litter do not cause harm to the coastal and marine environment.  …  Characteristics of litter in the marine and coastal environment  — Trends in the amount of litter washed ashore and/or deposited on coastlines, including analysis of its composition, spatial distribution and, where possible, source (10.1.1)  — Trends in the amount of litter in the water column (including floating at the surface) and deposited on the sea- floor, including analysis of its composition, spatial distribution and, where possible, source (10.1.2)  — Trends in the amount, distribution and, where possible, composition of micro-particles (in particular micro- plastics) (10.1.3)  Impacts of litter on marine life  — Trends in the amount and composition of litter ingested by marine animals (e.g. stomach analysis) (10.2.1).  … 9 Stockholm WWW 3 Sep 2013 WS - Cooperation to Prevent Harmful Chemicals in the Water Cycle

Micro plastics currently High on the European agenda  EC launched study on link between wastewater and micro plastics beginning 2012  EC green paper/consultation on plastic waste in the environment (2013) ●Answer on question on micro plastics in personal care products: restrict or forbid ●Answer on other actions to reduce marine litter: plastic litter does not belong in the wastewater  HELCOM Copenhagen ministerial declaration in preparation (2013)  Concern related to micro plastics will probably be reflected in the final version 10 Stockholm WWW 3 Sep 2013 WS - Cooperation to Prevent Harmful Chemicals in the Water Cycle

Source control can solve large part of the problem  Water sector in favour of actions  To make problem with micro plastics visible to the public, the policy makers and the chemical (cosmetics) industry  To apply precautionary principle on micro plastics in personal care products  Take action to restrict/forbid, we don’t need them  Together with scientists, NGOs 11 Stockholm WWW 3 Sep 2013 WS - Cooperation to Prevent Harmful Chemicals in the Water Cycle

NGO’s can be very effective in putting the problem on the agenda  Active campaign initiated by Dutch NGOs in Dutch media (television, internet, newspapers) (2012) ●To have a complete ban of micro plastics in personal care products ●With petition to force EC action 12 Stockholm WWW 3 Sep 2013 WS - Cooperation to Prevent Harmful Chemicals in the Water Cycle

NGO’s can be very effective in putting the problem on the agenda  Caused a lot of fuss in the Netherlands ●Some retailers will no longer sell products with plastic ingredients ●Important producer decided to stop using micro plastics in personal care products half 2013 in the Netherlands and by end 2015 worldwide  Questions were asked in the Dutch parliament ●Resolution of Dutch parliament (Nov 2012): negotiate with cosmetics industry to use alternative products ●Ministerial statement (Dec 2012): reduce litter in sewage by source control and awareness raising ●The Netherlands will ask EU MS en EC for an European-wide ban on the use of micro plastics in personal care products. 13 Stockholm WWW 3 Sep 2013 WS - Cooperation to Prevent Harmful Chemicals in the Water Cycle

Micro plastics A new challenge for the water industry?  Problem raised but still hard to quantify ●Cause for concern globally, Europe-wide, regionally  Micro plastics in urban wastewater already on the political agenda ●WWTPs are not a source but rather a pathway for micro plastics  Precautionary principle should be applied to one important source ●Avoid micro plastics in cosmetics/personal care products 14 Stockholm WWW 3 Sep 2013 WS - Cooperation to Prevent Harmful Chemicals in the Water Cycle

Thank you for your attention!