Small plastic pellets known as nurdles have been found along the East Yorkshire coast after a collision between two ships, raising concerns about their environmental impact.
Small plastic pellets, commonly known as nurdles, have washed ashore along the East Yorkshire coast following a significant maritime incident last week. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) confirmed that these pellets were likely released into the North Sea during a collision between the Portuguese-flagged MV Solong cargo ship and the US-flagged Stena Immaculate oil tanker. The collision occurred approximately 10 miles east of Hull on 10 March.
On Sunday, the RNLI alerted the MCA to a “sheen” observed in the water just off The Wash, which was subsequently identified as a collection of these plastic pellets. Nurdles, which range from one to five millimetres in size and weigh less than a gram, are primarily used in the manufacturing of plastics. While they are not toxic, environmental experts have raised concerns about the potential harm these pellets can cause to marine wildlife. Animals may ingest the nurdles, leading to detrimental effects on their health and potentially introducing plastic pollution into the food chain, with implications for humans as well.
Chief Coastguard Paddy O’Callaghan reported that aerial surveillance confirmed the presence of nurdles in the region, and some have now been found on local shores. He stated, “This is a developing situation and the Transport Secretary continues to be updated regularly,” adding that retrieval efforts for the pellets have commenced.
Emergency services responded to the collision at Grimsby Docks on 10 March, resulting in 36 individuals requiring medical attention, with one person still missing and presumed deceased. The captain of the Solong, Vladimir Motin, 59, from St Petersburg, Russia, faces charges of gross negligence manslaughter and has been remanded in custody, with an upcoming court appearance scheduled at the Old Bailey on 14 April.
Environmental groups have expressed serious concerns over the impact of the nurdles on local wildlife populations. The Yorkshire Wildlife Trust highlighted that there are significant colonies of seabirds in the area, including species such as puffins and razorbills, known to consume marine debris, including plastic pellets. Conservation organisations have documented instances of seabirds found with nurdles in their stomachs, raising alarms about the broader ecological consequences of such pollution.
As clean-up and retrieval efforts are underway, the situation remains closely monitored by relevant authorities, with updates being provided to government officials.
Source: Noah Wire Services
- https://www.cbsnews.com/news/cargo-ship-crash-tanker-north-sea-us-military-details-revealed-crew-member/ – This article corroborates the collision between the MV Solong and MV Stena Immaculate, including details about the incident and its aftermath.
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_North_Sea_ship_collision – This Wikipedia entry provides information about the collision, including the ships involved and the circumstances of the incident.
- https://abcnews.go.com/International/us-flagged-oil-tanker-collides-container-ship-north/story?id=119630008 – This article from ABC News reports on the collision and its consequences, including the response from emergency services and environmental concerns.
- https://www.noahwire.com – This source is mentioned as the original article discussing the nurdles washing ashore and the environmental impact of the collision.
- https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/maritime-and-coastguard-agency – The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) is involved in monitoring and responding to maritime incidents, which includes the collision and subsequent environmental issues.
- https://www.ywt.org.uk/ – The Yorkshire Wildlife Trust is mentioned as being concerned about the impact of the nurdles on local wildlife, particularly seabirds and marine life in the area.
- https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/news/hull-east-yorkshire-news/small-plastic-pellets-wash-ashore-10030691 – Please view link – unable to able to access data
- https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/uk-news/fears-wildlife-plastic-pellets-found-31218632 – Please view link – unable to able to access data
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
9
Notes:
The incident occurred recently, on 10 March, and the narrative includes ongoing updates, indicating that the information is current.
Quotes check
Score:
8
Notes:
The quote from Chief Coastguard Paddy O’Callaghan is included, but no online source confirming it as the earliest reference was found. This could indicate it is a recent or original quote.
Source reliability
Score:
8
Notes:
The narrative originates from a local news outlet, which generally provides reliable information about regional events. However, it is not a major international news source like the BBC or Reuters.
Plausability check
Score:
9
Notes:
The claims about the maritime incident and environmental concerns are plausible and consistent with known issues related to plastic pollution and maritime accidents.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH
Summary:
The narrative appears to be current and relevant, with plausible claims about a recent maritime incident and its environmental impact. While the source is local, it is generally reliable for regional news.
