36237 (2026). Lan Pham to the Minister for the Environment

36237 (2026). Lan Pham to the Minister for the Environment: What advice, if any, has the Minister received on the risk of products made from recycled soft plastics breaking down and spreading microplastics into the environment?

Hon Nicola Grigg: I have not received any advice on microplastics risk from products made of recycled soft plastics. Recent work on microplastics at the Ministry for Cities, Environment, Regions and Transport (MCERT) has focused on assessing the existing knowledge base on micro and nano-plastics and its impact on the environment and living organisms, including humans. Officials from MCERT and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade continue to participate in negotiations under the United Nations toward a Global Plastics Agreement, which aims to address plastic pollution across the full life cycle of plastics, including microplastics.