The UK coastguard has determined that small plastic pellets found along England’s east coast originated from a collision between a tanker and a cargo ship that occurred a week prior, reports BBC.
Ship Collision
Two ships collided in the North Sea, near East Yorkshire, resulting in an explosion and fires. Following the collision, a sighting of “plastic nurdles” was reported in the waters off the Wash, and a coastguard team was dispatched to clear them. Nurdles are plastic resin balls used in plastics production and, while not toxic, pose a risk to wildlife if ingested.
One crew member from the vessel is missing and presumed dead, and the cargo vessel’s captain has been charged with gross negligence manslaughter.
Aerial surveillance confirmed the presence of nurdles in the water and along the shore between Old Hunstanton and Wells-next-the-Sea in Norfolk.
Marine Life Threatened
Calum Duncan of the Marine Conservation Society expressed deep concern about the nurdles washing up in the Wash, a crucial protected area for various bird species.
He emphasized the significant threat these plastic pellets pose to marine life, as fish and seabirds may mistake them for food, potentially leading to starvation and health problems.
The Wash, a large North Sea inlet, is affected by the nurdles. Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust and Norfolk Wildlife Trust jointly stated their concern about the pollution.
Tammy Smalley of the Lincolnshire Trust highlighted that the risks of nurdles increase when they accumulate other pollutants.
The trusts advised the public to report sightings of nurdles but to avoid touching them due to the potential presence of toxic pollutants.
Mr. O’Callaghan reported that the fires on the vessel were now “only small periodic pockets” and were under control. Aerial surveillance is ongoing for both vessels and the retrieval operation.
The tanker, carrying 220,000 barrels of aviation fuel for the U.S. military, is likely to be towed to offload its remaining fuel. It will then be taken to a location, likely Newcastle, for repairs.
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Source: BBC
