Nordic Ministerial Declaration on Microplastics

We, the Nordic Ministers for the Environment and Climate: 

Concerned that microplastics are released through the entire life cycle of plastics, in production, through wear and tear in use and degradation in the environment[1][2][3], stress that production and consumption of plastics must be brought down to sustainable levels to avoid release of microplastics into the environment.

Recognize that this year marks the 20th anniversary of the first scientific article using the term microplastics to describe the occurrence of microscopic fragments of plastic in the environment[4]. Since then, our knowledge about the sources, pathways and impacts of plastic pollution has increased exponentially. 

Worried that plastic pollution, including microplastics, is now pervasive in the environment across the world[5], even in areas with little human activity, such as the Arctic, where microplastics are accumulating and have infiltrated all levels of the Arctic food web and affect local ecosystems and Arctic peoples’ livelihoods.[6] 

Acknowledge that Indigenous Peoples, workers in the plastic industry and fence line communities bear a disproportionate burden of the impacts of plastic pollution, including microplastics.

Express our deep concern about the increase in plastic pollution, and the projections of a near doubling of annual microplastics release from 9 million tonnes (Mt) to 16 Mt in 2040 without concerted global action[7].

Alarmed about the growing body of research showing the existence of microplastics at every level of biological organization from cellular to ecosystem, including in blood, brains, placentas and breastmilk[8]. 

Note the increasing number of countries that have already regulated intentionally added microplastics in certain products, including cosmetics, personal care products, detergents and maintenance products for cleaning and polishing.

Note with concern the contribution of the textile sector to the release of microplastics into the environment[9], especially with a growing number of synthetic textiles being sold globally, and up to 70% of textiles in European households being made from synthetic fabrics.

Recall the disastrous spills of tonnes of plastic pellets, a category of microplastics, from maritime accidents in the Nordic Region in 2020, Sri Lanka in 2021, and France and Portugal in 2023, and support work in the International Maritime Organisation to implement new measures to prevent accidents and loss of plastic pellets. 

Acknowledge that the already existing 152 Mt of macro plastic pollution in rivers and oceans, and additional contributions that would still be expected between 2020 and 204077, will be a continuous source of release of microplastics and related chemicals to the environment. 

Highlight that an effective plastic treaty can reduce microplastics releases globally by 70% by 2040 compared to a business-as-usual scenario, according to the findings of the Nordic Report Towards Ending Plastic Pollution by 2040.

Call for a treaty that is comprehensive in scope and addresses the full life cycle of plastics, with dedicated measures for regulating microplastics related to their source and routes of leakage, including:

1. Bans or restrictions on intentionally added microplastics to products.
2. Requirements for improved design of products to minimize the release of microplastics by wear and tear.
3. Appropriate measures and guidance for specific land and sea-based sources of microplastic release, such as tyres, textiles, artificial grass[10], paint, wastewater, production, recycling and disposal facilities[11] and others.
4. Requirements for handling, storing, transporting, and processing of plastic pellets, flakes and powders, supplementing the work in IMO. 
5. Remediate using the best available techniques and environmental practices to avoid macroplastic degradation exacerbating the spread of microplastics. 

Romina Pourmokhtari, Minister for Climate and the Environment, Sweden

Guðlaugur Þór Þórðarson, Minister of the Environment, Energy and Climate, Iceland

Ingilín D. Strøm, Minister of Environment, Faroe Islands

Kai Mykkänen, Minister of Climate and the Environment, Finland

Magnus Heunicke, Minister of Environment, Denmark

Andreas Bjelland Eriksen, Minister of Climate and Environment, Norway

[1] Karlsson et al. (2018) “The unaccountability case of plastic pellet pollution”, Marine Pollution Bulletin, 129(1), 52-60; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.01.041

[2] Jadhav et al. (2021) “Microplastics from food packaging: An overview of human consumption, health threats, and alternative solutions”. Environmental Nanotechnology, Monitoring & Management, 16 (100608), 2215-1532; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enmm.2021.100608 

[3] Kole et al. (2017). “Wear and Tear of Tyres A Stealthy Source of Microplastics in the Environment”,

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 14(10)1265; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph14101265

[4] R.C. Thompson, et al. (2004) «Lost at sea: where is all the plastic?” Science (80-.), 304 (5672), p. 838

[5] Browne et al (2011) “Accumulation of Microplastic on Shorelines Worldwide: Sources and Sinks” Environmental Science & Technology 45(21), 9175-9179

[6] Bergmann, M., Collard, F., Fabres, J. et al. (2022) “Plastic pollution in the Arctic”. Nat Rev Earth Environ 3, 323–337; https://doi.org/10.1038/s43017-022-00279-8

[7] Systemiq (2023) Towards Ending Plastic Pollution by 2040: 15 Global Policy Interventions for Systems Change”. TemaNord 2023:539; http://dx.doi.org/10.6027/temanord2023-539 

[8] United Nations Environment Programme and Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions (2023). “Chemicals in plastics: a technical report”. Geneva; https://www.unep.org/resources/report/chemicals-plastics-technical-report

[9] Carney Almroth, B.M., Åström, L., Roslund, S. et al. (2018) “Quantifying shedding of synthetic fibers from textiles; a source of microplastics released into the environment”. Environ Sci Pollut Res 25, 1191–1199; https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-0528-7 

[10] The Norwegian Environment Agency (2020). «Norske landbaserte kilder til mikroplast». https://www.miljodirektoratet.no/publikasjoner/2021/april-2021/norske-landbaserte-kilder-til-mikroplast/

[11] Umarie, W. I., Bagastyo, A. Y. (2024). Microplastics Identification in Plastic Recycling Facility: Removal Efficiencies of the Treatment Plants and Its Potential Release to the Environment. Journal of Ecological Engineering, 25(9), 303-315. https://doi.org/10.12911/22998993/191506