Only 28% of plastic nurdles that spilled into the River Tyne in July have been recovered, according to calculations by scientists. An estimated 18 tonnes of nurdles entered the river following a collision between ships at the Port of Tyne.
Despite thousands of hours spent by volunteers clearing beaches across the region, only 5.14 tonnes of the plastic pellets have been recovered. Work by Newcastle University and the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) found that nurdles are likely to have dispersed beyond the Tyne estuary into the North Sea.
The university and Cefas also stated that some nurdles may remain within the river system and will continue to wash up on parts of the coastline in the future, influenced by weather conditions, winds, and tides. The Scientific and Technical Advice Cell (STAC) has reviewed Cefas' modelling and recovery data, noting that complete recovery of every nurdle is not considered achievable.
North East mayor Kim McGuinness has commissioned an independent review into the response and recovery. She is also backing calls for changes to international rules regarding the transportation of plastic nurdles.