People across the North East are being called on to take part in a global nurdle hunt as part of research into plastic pollution. Volunteers and organisations worldwide have been visiting beaches to document the impacts of industrial plastic pollution.
Environmental charity Fidra is hosting The Great Global Nurdle Hunt, asking people to head to beaches, rivers and ports to take part in the count between Friday 4th September and Sunday 4th October. Participants will search for small plastic pellets and log their nurdle findings, with the aim of gathering evidence to map the international plastic pollution crisis.
Evidence to strengthen calls for change
The information collected will be used to strengthen calls for changes to stop pellet pollution. The initiative comes as clean-up efforts continue across the region to clear the tonnes of plastic pellets that spilled into the River Tyne on July 19 after a collision between the Wind Orca and the BG Orange container ship.
Northumberland Wildlife Trust is supporting the initiative and urging local communities to join volunteer nurdle clean-ups along the North Tyneside and Northumberland coast. The Trust is also encouraging supporters to sign an online petition calling on the UK Government to introduce tougher regulations around plastic pellet management.
How to get involved
Rowan Stanforth, Project Officer at Fidra, said: "The Great Global Nurdle Hunt provides crucial evidence of nurdle pollution but also shows decision makers that people really care and want to see further action to address this issue. Anyone can get involved and make an impact, by taking part and logging their findings www.nurdlehunt.org.uk or through our Nurdle Hunt App."
Liz Kirby-Heard, Communities and Nature Manager at Northumberland Wildlife Trust, added: "We've seen first-hand the passion and commitment of local people responding to the recent plastic pellet pollution incident in the Port of Tyne. The Great Nurdle Hunt provides a simple but powerful way for people up and down the coast of Northumberland and North Tyneside to make a difference, with each survey building a clearer picture of the problem and supporting efforts to prevent plastic pollution from harming our precious marine wildlife."
Evidence from the Global Nurdle Hunt is vital for this work, and Fidra is asking people across the world to join in this September and help be part of the solution.
