More than 100 volunteers gathered at Whitley Bay Beach on Monday evening to remove thousands of tiny plastic pellets, known as nurdles, that have been washing ashore since a collision between the Wind Orca and the BG Orange on July 19. The spill has been described as the worst incident of nurdle pollution in Europe.
Community-Led Clean-Up
The volunteers, armed with mesh bags, builder's trugs, bin bags, and buckets, organised themselves through WhatsApp groups. Separate channels were set up for beaches across North Tyneside, with groups meeting at high tide when the most nurdles can be collected. At Whitley Bay, they gathered outside the Panama Swimming Club near Spanish City.
Simon Laing said there "hasn't been a co-ordinated response" from North Tyneside Council, despite council workers cleaning up nurdles in a "round-the-clock operation" last week. He added: "We're self organised and we're here and we would like the council to make better use of us, we're very willing."
Environmental Concerns
Julie Partridge, Kirsten Scott, and Helen Smith, all members of the Panama Swimming Club, voiced their worries. Helen said: "We swim here every other day. And we'll be able to see them every single day for the rest of our lives. We'll see the fish and the birds eating them." She criticised the Environment Agency's advisory role, stating: "If it was oil, the EA would be out here, they have the knowledge to do something about it and they're paid out of our taxes."
Young players from Whitley Bay Sporting Club Under 14s Football Club also joined the effort. George Middleton, 13, said: "We don't want the sea to be polluted, we don't want the fish to eat the plastic." Joe Dobson, 13, added: "Every nurdle we pick up is one fish saved."
Official Response
Surfers Against Sewage called the incident a "catastrophe" and urged it to be treated as a serious environmental pollution event. North East Mayor Kim McGuinness said the shipping companies had a "moral duty to do the right thing by the North East" and should pay for the clean-up. On Monday, Cadeler, which owns the Wind Orca, said specialist contractors would be deployed to "step up" operations. On Tuesday, the Port of Tyne announced that two containers that split and released the nurdles had been "cleansed". McGuinness thanked volunteers and said her office would continue working with councils.
The Environment Agency said it continues to advise the Port of Tyne on the safest clean-up methods to minimise harm to the environment, people, and wildlife. ChronicleLive has approached North Tyneside Council for comment.
