A North Tyneside councillor who has led multiple beach cleans in Tynemouth says he is worried for neighbours affected by the River Tyne nurdle spill. The small plastic pellets, used to make products like bottles, have washed up on the coastline after a collision between the Wind Orca and the BG Orange on Sunday, July 19.
Councillor's concerns
Coun Tom Bailey, representing the Tynemouth ward, initially delivered letters from residents and groups to the Environment Agency office in Newcastle last Thursday. He has been involved in nurdle clean-ups since Monday. Bailey said things are moving in the right direction for Tynemouth and that volunteers may need to be redirected from Longsands to other beaches.
He told ChronicleLive: "It's going on the curve that it needs to, the work is really encouraging. But we don't want to let off the message that we need volunteers turning out, given how many miles we have got to cover."
Praise and worry
Bailey expressed pride in residents' efforts but said he is worried about the impact on South Tyneside. However, South Tyneside Council stated it is encouraging coordinated volunteering, with staff and volunteers working tirelessly, and external companies like Nurdle involved.
Bailey noted: "They have a significantly bigger problem to start with, as there are more sandy beaches facing the Tyne." He also criticized Environment Agency guidance issued over the weekend, saying it "hamstrung" volunteer efforts. He questioned why other areas are not replicating Tynemouth's approach, attributing this to the Agency's guidance still discouraging large-scale volunteer operations.
Council and agency response
Gary Kirsop, Director of Community Operations at South Tyneside Council, said the council has been leading the response from day one, with staff working alongside communities and partner agencies. He expressed gratitude for public support and said the council encourages coordinated volunteering with proper recording.
The Environment Agency told ChronicleLive its role is strictly advisory, and councils are leading the clean-up. The Port of Tyne confirmed that the two containers that split and released the nurdles have been "cleansed." Kim McGuinness called this an important step forward and thanked volunteers.
