Nordic ban on microplastics rejected – awaiting EU strategy

The environment ministers met with the Nordic Council’s Sustainability Committee on Wednesday, which is seeking political dialogue and explanations for why the Nordic governments do not feel that the opportunity exists for the Nordic countries to go one step ahead of the EU and implement a pan-Nordic ban on microplastics in cosmetics.

“The latest indications from the EU are that its strategy on plastic will be ready on 6 December. Should the issue, also with regard to cosmetics, not proceed as we’d like, we’ll have to address the issue once more at the national level before moving on to a wider Nordic discussion,” says Helgesen.

Both the Nordic Council of Ministers and the Nordic Council have contributed to the EU strategy on plastic. Although microplastics in cosmetics represent a very small proportion of overall microplastic pollution in oceans and rivers, the Nordic Council believes that a Nordic ban will help to raise political awareness of this serious problem.

The vice chair of the sustainability committee Karin Gaardsted (S, Denmark) is satisfied with the outcome of the meeting, which was held in conjunction with the Session of the Nordic Council in Helsinki.

“The fact that the presidency of the council of ministers is keeping the door open to Nordic co-operation should the strategy on plastic not be satisfactory is evidence that the ministers are taking the issue seriously,” says Gaardsted.

During its presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers, Norway has raised the issue of microplastics in international arenas as well as through Nordic support of the UNEP campaign #CleanSeas.