Ian Lavery MP column: Urgent response to the nurdle pollution crisis is essential
Two ships collided in the Port of Tyne on July 19, resulting in tonnes of plastic nurdles falling into the Tyne and washing up on Northumberland’s beaches a short time later.
The resulting pollution may not look superficially as catastrophic as an oil spill, but its effects could be even worse in the long term.
The spontaneous mobilising by thousands of members of our community to clear our beaches of billions of small pellets of plastic is inspirational. The Northumberland Coastline is a place they, like so many of us, cherish, but their amazing dedication unfortunately will not be enough to protect it from environmental damage.
Nurdles are the raw plastics used in manufacturing for moulding into thousands of products we use every day.
They cause humans no immediate harm if handled safely, but if left for any time in the environment they breakdown into micro plastics that are being inadvertently eaten by animals and absorbed into our own body tissues – mostly through being inhaled.
Traces of microplastics have been found everywhere, from ocean floors to Antarctica, and they can last for centuries. We know they kill animals who ingest them and early research indicates they are likely to be damaging our health as well.
If the nurdles from the accident on the Tyne are not cleaned up quickly, they will make an existing environmental problem much worse.
The Environment Agency must co-ordinate all relevant parties in a concentrated rapid clean up operation, treating it with the same urgency as it would an oil spill.
The birds and other animals hurt by this spillage may not die soaked in pollution in front of our eyes, but it will be killing them – just more slowly.
The inspirational volunteers cannot achieve what is needed on their own. The public bodies involved must ensure they get the support they need to work effectively and safely.
We must all thank them for their efforts and for proving at a time of widespread cynicism that very many people care about more than just themselves.
Residents in the Blyth and Ashington constituency can contact my office by calling 01670 852494 or emailing [email protected] and there are also plenty of updates that are posted on my Facebook page (Ian Lavery MP).