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

Plastic babies have been found in 84% of major nature sites surveyed in the UK.

Nurdles are small pellets that the plastic industry uses to make larger products. They were found in 168 of 195 sites of special scientific interest (SSSIs) and were named so because of the rare wildlife they harbor. They are given extra protection to protect them from pollution.

But environmental charity Fidra has been running young animal hunts at SSSIs across the UK since 2013 and has found pellets in 84% of them.

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

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

Among the worst affected areas The River Itchen in Southampton, including Chessel Bay nature reserve and the Firth of Forth in Scotland.

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

Megan Kirton, Fidra’s senior project officer, said: “It’s shocking to see nature reserves and protected areas around the UK being affected by plastic pellet pollution. These precious sacred spaces are being polluted by preventable industrial pollution.”

Fidra is asking governments around the world to coordinate policies on puppies and introduce legislation to promote good practice and stop leaks in the supply chain. It also wants the International Maritime Organization to introduce robust mandatory measures to ensure that baby animals are transported safely and are not lost at sea.