News

Sea Shepherd Discovers Plastic Nurdle Pellet Spill in Melbourne

Friday, 28 Feb, 2020

A Sea Shepherd volunteer walking to work has discovered thousands of tiny white plastic pellets – known as nurdles - polluting a busy Melbourne street.

Nurdles are small plastic pellets which serve as raw material in the manufacturing of plastic products.

Narelle Huxley, Sea Shepherd Marine Debris Campaign’s Victorian State Coordinator who made the find, was shocked to see thousands of the nurdles covering a large area of Bell Street in Coburg, Melbourne.

“As Bell Street is very busy, the nurdles were being scattered in every direction. Unfortunately too many nurdles end up washing down stormwater drains and then flushed out into our marine environment where they may be mistaken for food by fish, birds and other wildlife.”

- Sea Shepherd Volunteer, Narelle Huxley

A spill of this size is considered a pollution incident and has been reported to the Environment Protection Authority Victoria who is investigating. VIC Roads and Moreland Council have also been contacted to arrange removal of the nurdles from the road.

This spill is an example of poor handling and transportation of these nurdles which will have negative consequences on the environment.

Sea Shepherd Australia’s Marine Debris Campaign is taking part in the Great Global Nurdle Hunt during March, hosting a range of community clean-up events around Australia which the public is encouraged to support and join.

LEARN MORE ABOUT SEA SHEPHERD AUSTRALIA'S MARINE DEBRIS CAMPAIGN

Share this

Thank you. Please consider sharing with your family and friends to help save more marine lives!