28 Jul 2026
Photo Credit: AdobeStock The company that owns the vessel involved in the River Tyne nurdle spill has admitted its response has fallen short of what the community expected, as the North East mayor presses the firms responsible to fund what she has called the worst nurdle pollution incident in Europe. Up to 25 tonnes […]
23 Jul 2026
Photo credit: Matt Clark Up to 25 tonnes of plastic pellets have entered the River Tyne after the Wind Orca collided with the berthed container ship BG Orange at the Port of Tyne on Sunday 19 July. The environmental charity Fidra estimates the release at approximately one billion nurdles. According to the Port of Tyne, the Wind […]
17 Mar 2026
Photo by Soren Funk A year after millions of plastic pellets washed ashore on the coasts of Norfolk and Lincolnshire, clean-up teams are still working – and the full environmental impact on one of Britain’s most protected coastal ecosystems remains unclear. On 10 March 2025, the cargo ship Solong ploughed into the anchored oil tanker […]
11 Nov 2025
Photo by Chris Mitchell Southern Water is investigating after millions of contaminated plastic beads washed up on Camber Sands beach, risking an “environmental catastrophe”, according to the local MP. The biobeads could have a dire impact on marine life, with fears rare sea life, including seabirds, porpoises and seals, could ingest them and die. […]
06 Dec 2022
Record number of plastic nurdles found on beaches as environmental groups call for tougher laws. A survey has now found a record number on beaches around the world and campaigners want new laws in place to help reduce spillages. Nurdles are tiny pellets of plastic used by industry to produce nearly all of our plastic […]
14 Mar 2019
Two new reports: 1. Microplastic pollution revealed ‘absolutely everywhere’ by new research from Bangor University in UK lakes and Rivers New research by Bangor University and Friends of the Earth has found microplastic pollution in some of Britain’s most iconic and remote rivers and lakes. The study, believed to be the first of its kind, […]