Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Government has made representations to the International Maritime Organisation on the potential merits of classifying pre-production plastic pellets, nurdles, as a hazardous shipment.

Yes, the Government has made representations to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) on the classification of plastic pellets as harmful substances.

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), which provides the UK’s representation to the IMO, has been actively involved in the discussions about, and development of, both voluntary and mandatory measures for the transport by sea of plastic pellets. The UK, in conjunction with a number of other IMO member states, has submitted a proposal to the IMO to amend the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) in order to identify plastic pellets as a harmful substance and to establish mandatory requirements for their transport by sea.