Plastic nurdles found at 84% of UK sites of special scientific interest | Plastics

Plastic clumps have been found in 84% of important natural sites surveyed in the UK.

Nurdles are small pellets that the plastics industry uses to make larger products. They were found in 168 of the 195 Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs), so named because of the rare wildlife they contain. Extra protection is given in an effort to protect them from pollution.

However, the environmental charity Fidra has been running nurdle hunts in SSSIs across the UK since 2013, and has found nurdle hunts in 84% of them.

It was also found in six national parks: Loch Lomond and the Trossachs, North York Moors, New Forest, Pembrokeshire Coast, Erie (Snowdonia), and the South Downs.

They are produced at sites around the UK, including Grangemouth in Scotland, and are transported by land and sea to be melted to make almost all of our plastic products. They are lost to the environment due to mismanagement in the supply chain – that is, due to accidental spills. It has been estimated that 53 billion newborn babies could be lost to the environment each year in the UK.

The most affected areas include The River Itchen in Southampton, including Chestel Bay Nature Reserve, and the Firth of Forth in Scotland.

Nurdles are dangerous for the environment because they are made of plastic and may contain toxic chemicals. Because they are small, animals may mistake them for food and get poisoned by them. They also break down and become microplastics, which enter the human food chain and are hazardous to human health as well as wildlife.

Megan Kirton, senior project officer at Fidra, said: “It is shocking to see nature reserves and protected areas around the UK being affected by plastic pellet pollution. These precious sanctuaries are being contaminated by preventable industrial pollution.”

Fidra is calling on governments around the world to coordinate policy on nurdles and introduce legislation to enforce good practice and prevent the spread in the supply chain. He also wants the International Maritime Organization to impose stronger mandatory measures to ensure that children are transported safely and do not get lost at sea.