World Jul 22, 2026 · 1 min read

One billion plastic pellets spilled into River Tyne after two ships collide

Up to 25 tonnes of nurdles, the raw material for plastic manufacturing, have spread further than initially fearedApproximately a billion tiny plastic nurdles have entered the River Tyne after a “devastating spill”, with the pellets thought to have spread much further than first thought.Nurdles, whic...

The Guardian

by Pippa Neill Environment reporter

One billion plastic pellets spilled into River Tyne after two ships collide

Up to 25 tonnes of nurdles, the raw material for plastic manufacturing, have spread further than initially feared

Approximately a billion tiny plastic nurdles have entered the River Tyne after a “devastating spill”, with the pellets thought to have spread much further than first thought.

Nurdles, which are usually 1mm-5mm in size, act as the raw material to manufacture most plastic products.

Source

This article was originally published by The Guardian and written by Pippa Neill Environment reporter.

Read original article on The Guardian

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One billion plastic pellets spilled into River Tyne after two ships collide

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