There are fears for wildlife after plastic pellets washed up on the North Norfolk coast following a collision between a tanker and a cargo ship last week.
The tiny pellets of plastic balls are called nurdles and have appeared around the Old Hunstanton and Wells coastline. They are also present in The Wash itself.
The Coastguard has reported that the Marine and Coastguard Agency was alerted ‘a sheen that we now know to be plastic nurdles,’ and a specialist team was working to clean-up the spread.
The Stena Immaculate tanker and cargo ship Solong collided off East Yorkshire last Monday, resulting in an explosion and fires.
More than 30 people were rescued from the scene.
One crew member of the Solong is missing presumed dead and the captain of the cargo vessel has been charged with gross negligence and manslaughter.
Vladimir Motin appeared at Hull Magistrate’s Court on Saturday charged with gross negligence manslaughter. He was remanded in custody to appear before London’s Central Criminal Court on April 14.
The tanker was said to be carrying 220,000 barrels of aviation fuel for the United States military. It is likely to be towed into a dock near Hull for the remaining fuel to be pumped off.
The owners confirmed more than 17,000 barrels had been lost as a result of the crash.
The pellets, or nurdles, are tiny and used in the production of plastic. They aren’t toxic but can present a risk to wildlife if ingested.
Their presence in the sea was confirmed by aerial surveillance flights on Sunday (16) and some have been found onshore in North Norfolk. The Marine Conservation Society has said it’s ‘deeply concerned’ about the pollution which is in The Wash, a vital area for wildlife and conservation.
Head of conservation for Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust, Tammy Smalley said “Although it is a worry for wildlife and will continue to be as long as the clean-up of the collision last week continues; communication and co-ordination is going well between all the authorities and related environmental bodies across a large geographic area.
“From being seen and confirmed that burnt material, plastic nurdles and other materials has collated in locations in the mouth of The Wash and along Norfolk coast, the authorities have mobilised clean-up operations.
“We will continue to support the authorities in this endeavour.”
Nurdles are somewhere between one and five millimetres in size.
