Outrage after 450,000 plastic ‘nurdles’ found

Beach clean sees call for action over polluting firms

An environmental group has expressed its horror after more than 450,000 plastic “nurdles” were found polluting a Fife beach.

Dunfermline and West Fife MP Douglas Chapman was among those who took part in a hunt for the lentilsized plastic pellets with the charity Fidra on the shore at North Queensferry as part of its country-wide survey.

Around 9.35kg of the objects – the equivalent of 833 plastic bottles – were collected from the beach, which is about 12 miles from the Ineos Polymers plant that produces the raw material melted down to make plastic products.

There are now calls to tighten controls on the use of nurdles, which can be easily spilled during handling and can end up down drains, in waterways and eventually at sea where they can be ingested by birds and sea life.

Alasdair Neilson, Fidra project officer, said its findings show how common nurdles now are on beaches, with 93% of clean-ups finding more than one nurdle and 43% finding more than 100. However, North Queensferry, in Mr Chapman’s constituency, had by far the biggest number.

“While parts of industry have cleaned up their act, it is clear the status quo cannot solve this issue,” Mr Neilson said.

“For nurdle pollution to be eliminated in Fife and across the rest of the UK, responsibility and transparency is needed right along the supply chain.”

Mr Chapman said he is keen to see his constituency become a “real leader” for reducing plastic waste in the marine environment.

“It was an incredible effort from the volunteers to collect 450,000 nurdles from the beach that day and itshows just how big this problem is, to find so many at a single location,” he said.

Rosyth councillor Samantha Steele said she was “horrified” by the extent of the problem in North Queensferry, adding: “It is time that industries are being held to account for this pollution and enforcement action taken.”

An Inoes spokesperson said it is one of several plastic pellet manufacturers in Europe and its presence in Grangemouth is vital to the Scottish and local economies, adding: “We take our responsibility very seriously and the utmost of care at our manufacturing facilities and distribution centres.

“We are signatories of Operation Clean Sweep, applying best practice prevention and clean-up measures across our facilities. We have invested in our facilities, our processes and procedures to achieve our goal of zero pellet loss. And we also encourage the supply chain companies to do the same.”

Picture: Steven Brown. Some of the nurdles washed up on the shore by North Queensferry.