Toxic substances contained in micro-plastic waste can enter the food chain through ingestion by marine fauna like sea cucumbers, plankton and mussels, claim the Dutch, who called on EU environment ministers to address the issue at a meeting on 18 June in Luxembourg.

 

The European Commission launched a public consultation (Green Paper) in March 2013, which aims to launch discussions about how to make plastic products more sustainable and reduce the impact of plastic discards on the environment.

 

The Green Paper mentions micro-plastics as one of the public policy challenges posed by plastic waste.

 

Micro-plastics are an important category of marine litter referred to in the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), for which EU countries will have to develop targets and measures.

 

Some cosmetic manufacturers like Beiersdorf, Unilever, Colgate-Palmolive and L'Oréal have already pledged to stop using micro-plastic scrub beads in their products, which would further justify an EU-wide ban.

 

Mussels are found in large quantities along the Dutch coastline and the sustainability of the mussels industry is a serious issue in the Netherlands, as illustrated by a series of videos posted on YouTube by the aquaculture sector.

 

“Zeeuwse mosselen”, or mussels from the Dutch province of Zeeland, are a very popular and typical Dutch speciality seafood dish. According to the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization, the Dutch aquaculture sector produces 50,000 to 60,000 tonnes of mussels per year. 60 to 70% of the mussels are exported to Belgium and France.

 

Some restaurants offer certificates ensuring that Dutch mussels on their menu are sustainable.