Microplastics: a perspective on the regulatory landscape for the cleaning products industry

Insoluble polymeric microparticles that degrade very slowly and are practically impossible to clean up upon release into the environment have been the focus of legislation for the past few years. The estimate on the contribution of microplastics (intentionally added) from the cleaning products industry relative to the total estimated annual releases of microplastics emitted by (but not intentionally added to) products to EU surface waters is minor in magnitude yet still significant for developing regulations.