ECHA Published Guidance Document on Microplastic Restriction

Targeted audience	EU/EEA manufacturers, EU/EEA importers and their upstream providers
Products concerned	Consumer products (substances, mixtures)
Key industries concerned with this insight	Toys, stationery, decorations
Application date	17 October 2023 (unless specified)
Main content or requirements	On 8 December 2025, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) published a guidance document on the application of EU REACH Annex XVII Entry 78 on microplastics. The guidance indicates that flocked articles, plastic gems, sequins without holes, non-refillable soft-filled toys with filling pellets and snow globes, etc., are out of the scope of the microplastics restriction.
Reference	Link 1 Link 2

On 8 December 2025, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) published a guidance document on the judgment of EU REACH Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 Annex XVII Entry 78 on synthetic polymer microparticles (SPM, microplastics), supplementing the guidance documents on the application published by the European Commission Technical Services in March 2025.

(Previous Intertek Insight: https://www.intertek.com.cn/eninfo_itemid_1914864125708603392_lcid_40.html)

The highlights of the ECHA guidance are as follows:

1． The following products are out of the scope of the microplastics restriction, since they are regarded as an article, or a complex object made of many articles.

1. Objects covered by synthetic fibres, regenerated natural fibres, or natural fibres (e.g., fake fur on plush/stuffed toys, flock-coated products, fake polyester grass coating)
2. Plastic gems (imitation jewellery)
3. Sequins without holes
4. Polyester pom-poms

2． The following products are out of the scope of the microplastics restriction, since they are regarded as an article with an integral mixture:

1. Non-refillable soft-filled toys with filling pellets
2. Snow globes
3. Stickers

3． The following products are in the scope of the microplastics restriction, since they are regarded as a combination of an article and a mixture:

1. Glitter gel pens
2. Glittered candles

4． The following products are in the scope of the microplastics restriction, since they are regarded as a substance or a mixture:

1. Water beads for gel blasters
2. Bath slimes (i.e., polymeric powder or small granules that can be added to bath water to turn it into slime)
3. Styrofoam beads, slime containing Styrofoam beads, or Playfoam

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Content you may be interested in:
EU Updated List of Harmonised Standards under Toy Safety Directive 2009/48/EC (TSD) (EN 71-3 and EN 71-13)