Harmful Plastic Pellets Wash Up On UK Shores After Cargo Ship Collision

Microplastic pellets, also known as nurdles, are washing up on the UK coast and spreading across the sea after a cargo ship collision in the North Sea.

Due to their small size, they can be ingested by marine life, posing significant ecological risks.

The UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) confirmed the sightings of the microplastics along the Norfolk and Lincolnshire coastline. This has raised concerns about its impact on marine life and the environment.

The spill occurred after the Portugal-flagged container ship Solong collided with the US-flagged tanker Stena Immaculate near Hull on March 10, 2025.

The Solong, owned by German company Ernst Russ, was carrying multiple containers of nurdles on its journey from Grangemouth, Scotland, to Rotterdam, Netherlands.

The MCA said it is “likely” that the nurdles entered the sea at the time of the collision. Nurdles are tiny plastic used in manufacturing and while not classified as toxic, can be harmful to wildlife when ingested.

Conservationists are deeply concerned, warning that fish and seabirds might mistake them for food, leading to starvation and health issues.

Calum Duncan, head of policy and advocacy at the Marine Conservation Society, said the affected area, The Wash, is an internationally significant habitat for seabirds, including gulls, terns, waders, and wildfowl. He discussed the need for stricter regulations to prevent such spills in the future.

Tammy Smally, head of conservation at the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust, pointed out that seabirds could unknowingly feed the nurdles to their chicks, putting their survival at risk.

She advised the public to report any sightings to the coastguard by calling 999, but cautioned against touching the pellets, as they may have absorbed toxic pollutants.

Hugo Tagholm, executive director of Oceana UK, explained that these microplastics can remain in the ocean indefinitely, breaking down into smaller, more toxic fragments over time.

He warned that they can get trapped in the stomachs of wildlife such as puffins, seals, and fish, preventing them from eating real food and ultimately causing starvation.

After the collision, the Solong caught fire, and there are concerns that the intense heat may have burned some of the plastic pellets, releasing harmful chemicals into the sea.

While Ernst Russ has not confirmed whether the fire directly affected the nurdles, the company acknowledged that the initial firefighting efforts exposed some of the cargo to extreme heat.

Jonathan Paul, a senior lecturer at the Royal Holloway University of London, explained that if the nurdles were burned in the explosion, they could have released toxic “forever chemicals” into the ocean, worsening the pollution.

Paul also stated that cleanup efforts would likely be only partially effective, as the lightweight pellets are easily carried by tides and wind.

Both the Solong and Stena Immaculate remain in the North Sea. The Stena Immaculate is anchored 12 miles off Withernsea, while the Solong is about 20 miles further south, near Mablethorpe.

The MCA stated that salvage operations are ongoing for both vessels.

The company managing the Stena Immaculate, Crowley, praised its crew for their quick response in activating the fire suppression system before abandoning the ship.

Only one of the tanker’s cargo tanks was damaged, with 17,515 barrels of jet fuel lost out of the 220,000 it was carrying. Despite this, the MCA has stated there is no immediate pollution threat from the tanker.

The Solong’s captain, Vladimir Motin, a 59-year-old Russian national from St Petersburg, has been charged with gross negligence manslaughter.

He appeared in Hull Magistrates’ Court last Saturday and was remanded in custody. Motin is scheduled to appear at the Old Bailey in London on April 14.

A crew member of the Solong, identified as Mark Angelo Pernia, a 38-year-old Filipino national, has been missing and is presumed dead.

The MCA has confirmed that a retrieval operation for the plastic nurdles is underway. The RNLI first reported a sheen on the water off The Wash on Sunday, which was later confirmed to be plastic nurdles through aerial surveillance.

MCA chief coastguard Paddy O’Callaghan confirmed that cleanup efforts began on Monday and stated that the Transport Secretary is being regularly updated on the situation.

A total of 36 people were rescued from both vessels following the collision. Crew members from five RNLI lifeboat stations were involved in the rescue mission.

George Pickford, RNLI’s head of region for North and East, commended the volunteers for their efforts in transferring casualties and searching for the missing sailor.

Davina Silk, a volunteer lifeboat crew member from Mablethorpe, described the operation as overwhelming, saying she had never witnessed such a large-scale emergency response before.

Environmentalists are calling for stricter controls on transporting plastic pellets to prevent similar disasters in the future. Experts argue that better handling regulations are necessary to protect marine ecosystems from the harmful effects of nurdle spills.

References: thechemicalengineer, yorkshirepost

Source: Maritime Shipping News