Plastic pellets, also known as nurdles, are the tiny building blocks that are melted and molded to make many of the plastic products we use every day. They can vary in size, shape, and chemical composition and are critical to manufacturers around the globe. Plastic pellets are often shipped thousands of miles by trucks, trains, or ships, to reach manufacturing facilities. Unfortunately, these pellets are vulnerable to spilling at any point in their transit. And once spilled, they are incredibly challenging to clean up. A major plastic pellet spill can have significant environmental impacts (fish kills and direct impacts to protected marine species) and raise public concerns about seafood safety and human health impacts. 

The “Nurdle Spills in Coastal and Marine Environments Workshop” enabled participants to better understand what plastic pellets are and how, where, and in what form they are shipped. Participants learned about the fate and transport of spilled pellets in ocean and coastal environments. Presenters shared threats to the marine environments and coastal communities as well as response techniques and lessons learned from historic pellet spills. Over the two-day workshop, participants also had the opportunity to discuss the impacts and response processes and challenges in small groups using three different real-world scenarios. A subset of participants will continue investigating the topic and preparing to respond to plastic pellet spills.