Small Plastic Pellets Wash Up on UK Shores After Ship Explosions

Small plastic pellets washed up on the east coast of the UK, a week after two ships collided in the country’s waters.

Nurdles, which are used to make plastic products and are usually just a few millimeters in size, were first sighted during the weekend in a bay south of the crash site, the coastguard said. Some have now also been seen onshore and the process of retrieving them began Monday, it said.

The collision of a container ship and an oil tanker led to several explosions and the likely death of one seafarer. While it was initially thought the container vessel would sink, it has since stabilized and remains offshore.

The spilled nurdles are not toxic, but can present a risk to wildlife if ingested. The area around the site of the incident is home to significant bird and fish populations.

Photograph: The Solong cargo ship off the UK’s east coast on March 11, 2025. Photo credit: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

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