Nurdle pollution data shows global threat

AT least 1 300 nurdle hunters and 56 organisations around the world participated in the Great Global Nurdle Hunt (GGNH) 2024 and data proves it is a worldwide threat.

The annual GGNH event is organised by environmental group Fidra to urge volunteers and organisations to help gather important evidence of nurdle pollution and call for action.

Fidra said more than 250 nurdle hunts took place across 29 countries, with nurdles documented from Fiji to France, Mexico to Mozambique and beyond.

This year volunteers also reported nurdles (also known as plastic pellets) for the first time in Cape Verde and Guatemala, showing plastic pellet pollution was an ongoing growing issue around the world, said Fidra

“Each nurdle hunt has gathered evidence of nurdle pollution, raised awareness and helped demonstrate this is a truly global issue,” it said.

Nurdles are lentil-sized plastic pellets which are a source of micro plastic pollution. The plastics industry melts them down as raw material to make plastic goods.

Fidra estimates that every year nearly 4.5m tons of raw plastic makes its way into the environment.

The nurdle hunts are led by volunteers who visit shorelines and industry sites where they record any plastic pellets they find.

Fidra said global data collected by nurdle hunters was vital to show the scale of nurdle pollution and help organisations drive campaigns to end it.

“Once in the environment, nurdles are practically impossible to remove and can spread far from the original source.

Since 2013 more than 400 organisations have organised nurdle hunts in 81 countries.

“They have found nurdles polluting nature reserves, fishing grounds and tourist hotspots worldwide showing this a truly global issue impacting wildlife, communities and economies. The 20 000+ volunteers are collecting data, raising awareness and calling on governments to end global nurdle pollution,” Fidra said.

The data will also be used by organisations at the United Nations Global Plastics Treaty’s final round of negotiations next month.

“Robust language in the treaty would require signatory countries to take action to prevent nurdle pollution. However with negotiations hanging in the balance, it is vital governments support retaining and strengthening measures to address nurdle pollution in the final treaty text,” Fidra said.

It said that wildlife can also mistake nurdles for food, leading to starvation, organ damage and plastics entering food chains.

“As nurdles break down they release plastic fragments and harmful chemicals, which can enter human and animal tissues, disrupting their function. Harmful chemicals and bacteria in the environment can become attached to the surface of nurdles, creating a toxic cocktail. Nurdles can overwhelm beaches after a major spill or from the build-up of pollution over time.”

Solutions presented by Fidra include the classification of pellets as hazardous to ensure safer stowage and packaging to prevent spills at sea and during transportation. It also wants mandatory reporting of plastic pellet loss at all points along the global supply chain, and protocols and compensation to be put in place to ensure a swift response if spills do occur and that the polluter pays for it.