This document specifies test methods and evaluation criteria by addressing potential ecotoxicological adverse effects on marine organisms. Adverse effects on marine species can be caused by soluble degradation products of plastic materials such as intermediates or remaining residues resulting from the biodegradation of plastic materials that are used in products for marine applications (e.g. nets for fish farming, dolly ropes, floats, buoys and other non-fishing applications) and which are used in different marine zones, e.g. eulittoral, sublittoral or pelagic zones.

The ecotoxicity testing scheme covers marine organisms from four trophic levels, primary producer, primary and secondary consumers and decomposer:

—    toxicity to marine algae,

—    toxicity to marine invertebrates,

—    toxicity to marine fish,

—    toxicity to marine microorganisms.

This document is not suitable for the assessment of adverse effects caused by solid materials of any size.