Nurdle pollution in the North East
In July 2026, a major plastic pellet spill in the River Tyne released an estimated 24-25 tonnes of industrial plastic pellets, known as nurdles, into the environment. Since then, these tiny pellets have been found along coastlines across the North East, creating a significant pollution incident for our marine and coastal habitats.
What are nurdles?
Nurdles are small plastic resin pellets, typically measuring between 1 and 5 mm. They are raw material used to manufacture almost every plastic product, including bottles, packaging, toys and many household items.
Although they are not plastic waste, once released into the environment then can become a serious form of pollution.
What happened?
On 19 July 2026, an offshore vessel collided with a berthed container ship in the Port of Tyne, damaging a dockside crane and rupturing a container carrying nurdles. An estimated one billion plastic pellets escaped into the River Tyne and have since been carried by tides, waves and coastal currents.
Because nurdles are lightweight and buoyant, they can travel long distances, which is why they are being found on beaches and shorelines well beyond the River Tyne.
How does this impact wildlife?
Nurdle spills are considered serious environmental incidents because the pellets can persist in the environment for many years.
Marine wildlife may mistake nurdles for food; and can therefore affect seabirds, fish, crabs, shellfish and, indirectly, marine mammals, through the food chain. The pellets can also absorb other pollutants, including oil, which increases the risk to wildlife and habitats.
Potential impacts include:
- Digestive blockage and starvation in animals
- Reduced reproductive success
- Transfer of pollutants through the food web
- Breakdown into smaller microplastics over time.
Unlike oil, nurdles do not dissolve or evaporate. Experience from similar incidents around the world shows that nurdles can remain in coastal sediments for many years and continue to wash up after storms.
How you can help
Join a clean up
If you can, look to join an organised clean up operation. You can find out where they are happening by joining the ‘Nurdle Clean Up North Tyneside’ WhatsApp group.
When taking part in an organised event, please follow guidance from organisers and the local authorities. Best practice includes:
- Wearing gloves and sturdy footwear
- Keeping nurdles separate from general litter
- Using buckets, dustpans, soft brushes or fine-mesh scoops where appropriate
- Keeping dogs on leads
- Washing your hands thoroughly afterwards.
You should also avoid any disturbance to sand dunes and sensitive coastal habitats. Please also avoid using heavy rakes or digging to deep, as this can damage fragile habitats and disturb wildlife.
Sign the petition and contact your MP
If you’re unable to join a clean up – or want to do more – you can help call for stronger action to prevent future spills by signing this petition.
We’d also recommend writing to your local MP, Councillor and/or Mayor, to ask for their support to coordinate efforts to recover nurdles from affected coastlines and to strengthen measures that prevent plastic pellet loss.
Take a look at our advice page for information on how to write to your MP. This advice also applies to contacting Councillors and the Mayor. You can find you local Councillor by using searching the UK Government directory. Local community members have produced a helpful template to use for your letter or email.
Working together for our coast
The scale of this spill means recovery efforts are likely to continue for some time. By supporting clean ups, reporting sightings and calling for stronger prevention measures, we can help protect the North East’s internationally important marine and coastal wildlife together for the future.
