João Pequeno comments on the new European regulation on plastic pellets
MARE researcher João Pequeno recently published an opinion piece in Água&Ambiente magazine, addressing the recent approval of the European Union's first binding regulation to prevent plastic pellet losses. The article, entitled “From science to action: the new European regulation on pellets and the challenge of implementation,” analyzes the role of science in policy-making and the practical challenges of implementing effective measures to prevent microplastic pollution. 
João Pequeno recalls the spill of more than 25 tons of pellets on beaches in Galicia in early 2024 as an example of the seriousness of the problem: “Pellets are the raw material for almost all plastic products, and when they are lost in their value chain, for example during their production, transport, or processing, they become a source of microplastic pollution that few see, but which our ecosystems feel.”
The European regulation establishes mandatory measures for all operators handling pellets, including risk management plans and independent certification for the largest operators. According to the researcher, this is a decisive step in preventing pollution at its source, responding to warnings that the scientific community has been making for years about the systematic loss of pellets.
Despite the progress made, João Pequeno warns of challenges in implementation, such as the exemption from mandatory certification for smaller operators and the late entry of the regulation into maritime transport, which remains one of the main causes of losses. Without effective monitoring, transparency, and enforcement, he warns, the regulation could become merely a bureaucratic exercise, limited in its results.
For Portugal, the implications are strategic and immediate. As a coastal country with large ports and a growing plastics processing sector, the application of the new rules will require coordination between authorities, port operators, and industry, as well as national monitoring mechanisms to detect and report losses to the environment.
João Pequeno points out that voluntary initiatives, such as Operation Clean Sweep promoted by the Portuguese Plastics Industry Association (APIP), have already introduced prevention practices, but that the new regulation transforms good practices into legal obligations, extending responsibility to all operators.
The researcher concludes by warning that the success of the new legislation will depend on the speed and effectiveness of its implementation, continuous monitoring of science and the integration of independent monitoring data, and the involvement of citizens. “The European regulation on pellet losses is a test of our collective ability to act on evidence and prevent pollution before it happens,” he said.
To read the full article in Água&Ambiente click HERE
Text by: Patrícia Carvalho