What are Nurdles – Why You Need to Worry About Them
By: Ana Mexia
“Nurdles, often overlooked due to their small size and innocuous appearance, find their way into the environment through a multitude of pathways. These tiny plastic pellets, available in an array of colors, are easily mistaken for food by marine life, leading to dire consequences. Over 220 species of marine animals have been recorded ingesting microplastics and plastic debris, with nurdles being a significant contributor to this alarming statistic.Â
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Nurdles Float is how they end up on beaches.Â
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Composed of materials such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, or other plastic types, nurdles not only pose a threat to marine life but also contribute to the larger issue of fossil fuel consumption.
The creation of these pellets necessitates the use of fossil fuels, which further exacerbates the global warming crisis due to their greenhouse gas emissions.
The damaging impact of nurdles, however, extends far beyond their affiliation with fossil fuels.
Measuring no larger than a lentil, nurdles are prone to damage from weather conditions and ocean currents, resulting in their continuous fragmentation into smaller particles. It is precisely this diminutive size that attracts marine organisms, including fish, turtles, seabirds, and an assortment of marine animals, to mistake them for food. Tragically, their stomachs become filled with plastic, an indigestible material that their bodies cannot process. As a result, these creatures suffer from malnutrition and ultimately perish due to starvation, their stomachs engorged with plastic remnants.
Yet, the detrimental impact of nurdles extends beyond physical obstruction. These insidious pellets also serve as conduits for toxins and harmful chemicals, including persistent organic pollutants (POPs). POPs, originating from pesticides, toxins, and other hazardous substances, have far-reaching consequences for both marine life and human health. As nurdles absorb these toxic compounds, they are subsequently consumed by fish.
The accumulation of microplastics in the bodies of these fish slowly poisons them, creating a cascading effect. Either the poisoned fish is consumed by another predator, continuing the transfer of toxins up the food chain, or it is ultimately consumed by humans, unwittingly introducing plastic particles and harmful chemicals into our own diets.
Thus, the ramifications of nurdles in the environment are multifaceted and deeply concerning. Their pervasive presence and ease of ingestion by marine life not only contribute to the depletion of vital species but also amplify the risks to human health. It is imperative that we acknowledge and address the significant environmental impact of nurdles, taking action to mitigate their release and prevent further harm to our delicate ecosystems.”<
Nurdles are tiny plastic pellets, and they are causing devastating damage to our environment and marine life. You can find them on your favorite beach, blending in with sand and shells.Â
The first reported appearance of nurdles on beaches dates back to 1970. However, plastic production began in 1940, so it’s likely that nurdles have been entering the ocean since then.Â
How To Reduce Nurdle Pollution
To put an end to the nurdle problem, it needs to be addressed by governments and large corporations. Individuals alone can’t bring a full solution to the problem. However, there are still meaningful actions individuals can take to play their part in reducing nurdle pollution.
Firstly, shifting away from single-use plastic and adopting a more sustainable lifestyle is crucial. By making conscious choices to reduce our plastic consumption, such as using reusable bags, bottles, and containers, we can significantly decrease the demand for plastic products that ultimately contribute to nurdle pollution.
Secondly, raising awareness about the issue is essential in driving change. By sharing articles, like this one, with friends and family or through social media platforms, individuals can help educate others about the dangers of nurdle pollution and encourage them to take action.
Additionally, supporting organizations that are actively working on addressing the issue, such as The Great Nurdle Hunt and Nurdle Patrol, can make a difference. These organizations are dedicated to tackling nurdle pollution through research, clean-up efforts, and advocating for stronger regulations. By getting involved or contributing to their initiatives, individuals can contribute to the collective effort in reducing nurdle pollution.
While individuals may not have the same impact as governments and large corporations in addressing the nurdle problem, their actions collectively can make a significant difference. By adopting sustainable practices, raising awareness, and supporting organizations, individuals can play an important role in reducing nurdle pollution and protecting our waterways.
In this article you’ll learn what they are, how nurdles are damaging our ecosystems, and what you can do to help.
What are nurdles made of?
Nurdles, the building blocks of plastic products, are primarily composed of polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, and polyvinyl chloride, as stated in Your article.
These plastic pellets, typically cylindrical or oval in shape and measuring approximately 3-5mm in size, form the basis of various plastic items. However, it is important to note that other plastic types or synthetic resins can also be utilized in the production of these minuscule plastic particles, as highlighted in Their article.
Additionally, in certain cases, nurdles may incorporate different additives to achieve pellets with distinct densities.
This comprehensive understanding of nurdle composition sheds light on the diverse range of materials involved in their production, emphasizing the significance of proper plastic waste management to mitigate environmental impact.
They are the raw material for everything that’s made of plastic. But even if they’re tiny, their damage is giant and immeasurable. Because of their size, it’s hard to keep them contained, and they spill into rivers, waterways, and the ocean.Â
Nurdles come in all sorts of colors, and their size and shape make it very easy for marine life to mistake them for food. It’s been recorded that more than 220 species of marine animals ingest microplastics and plastic debris.Â
Nurdles are made of polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, or other plastic types. Also, in some cases, they contain different additives to create pellets of different densities.Â
What Are Nurdles Used For?
Nurdles are plastic that has been upcycled to make more plastic products. It takes roughly 600 nurdles to make one small water bottle and most all plastic product starts with a plastic pellet of color.Â
Where are nurdles found globally?
Nurdles are found floating in Ocean currents, pushed by waves and wind, all the while the plastic pellets are floating all over the ocean and onto beaches around the world. Plastic water bottles get shipped to be recycled into a pellet form and when shipped back often times the container is dumped in the ocean on accident.Â
Nurdles In The Ocean
Nurdles get into waterways, flowing down streams into the ocean in many ways. Nurdles are light weight and can be moved by wind, or dumped during transportation.Â
How Do Nurdles Get Into The Ocean
The creation of these pellets requires fossil fuels, which are already posing a risk to our planet. Fossil fuels are accelerating global warming because of their greenhouse emissions. But the damage caused by nurdles goes way beyond fossil fuels.Â
These nurdles are as small as a lentil, and as they get damaged by the weather and ocean currents, they get smaller and smaller. Because of their size, they are easily confused for food by marine life.Â
Nurdles impact marine life of all kinds, like fish, turtles, seabirds, and all kinds of marine animals are eating these pellets. Their stomachs fill with plastic, which their bodies can’t handle. The plastic debris adds up in their stomach, so they don’t eat, and eventually die of starvation— with a stomach full of plastic.Â
Nurdles absorb toxins and harmful chemicals like persistent organic pollutants (POP). POP’s are toxic chemicals found in the air, water, among others, and they have a profound effect on human health. They come from pesticides, toxins and other harmful chemicals. 3
After nurdles absorb these chemicals, they’re eaten by fish. The toxins in all the microplastics these fish are eating, slowly poisons them. Then either two things happen: 1) The fish dies and it’s eaten by another fish, who then starts to get poisoned too— or 2) You eat the fish for dinner yourself.
We end up eating the fish whose flesh not only has tiny plastic particles, but also harmful chemicals.Â
A recent study by the University of Arizona confirmed that microplastics are now found in human organs for the first time.Â
Everything we’ve been dumping into the ocean since 1940 has come back to us through food.
Do Animals Eat NurdlesÂ
Have you ever wondered if animals eat nurdles? The answer is yes, and it’s concerning. Fish, turtles, seabirds, and a variety of marine animals are consuming these tiny plastic pellets. The repercussions are dire. When animals ingest nurdles, their stomachs become filled with plastic that their bodies simply cannot handle. This accumulation of plastic debris leads to severe consequences, including starvation. Tragically, these animals perish with stomachs full of plastic, unable to nourish themselves.
But the dangers don’t stop there. Nurdles have the ability to absorb toxic chemicals known as persistent organic pollutants (POP). These harmful substances can be found in various sources, such as pesticides and other toxic chemicals. As nurdles absorb these POPs, they become even more hazardous. As fate would have it, fish end up consuming these contaminated nurdles.
This is where the real concern arises. The toxins present in the microplastics the fish ingest begin to slowly poison them from within. The consequences are twofold.
First, the poisoned fish may die, becoming prey for another fish in the food chain. This leads to a chain reaction, as the cycle of poisoning continues. Second, and equally alarming, is the potential impact on human health. Imagine sitting down to a meal of fish, unaware that the flesh you are about to consume contains not only tiny plastic particles but also harmful chemicals.
The severity of the situation becomes apparent when considering the potential long-term effects on both marine life and human well-being. Animals and birds mistaken nurdles for food, leading to a stomach filled with indigestible plastic. This not only hampers their ability to eat but ultimately causes them to starve. Meanwhile, the toxins absorbed by the nurdles contaminate the fish, silently poisoning them. This creates a dangerous cycle that impacts the entire ecosystem, including us, as we unknowingly consume contaminated fish.
It is crucial that we acknowledge the threat posed by nurdles and take action to mitigate their impact on our environment and the creatures that inhabit it. By raising awareness, promoting responsible waste management, and supporting initiatives to reduce plastic pollution, we can work towards a healthier future for both animals and humans alike.
How Big is The Microplastics Issue?
Big, but together, we can tackle this and any other issues we’re facing. Every year, there are approximately 250,000 tons of nurdles, also known as mermaid tears, making their way into our oceans and rivers.Â
Their size makes it hard to contain them, and accidental spills during transportation makes the issue worse. But nurdles are not the only microplastic found in our oceans. Larger plastic items get fragmented into smaller bits once they’re at sea.Â
Even certain clothes we wear release microplastics, in the form of fibers, into the water when we wash them.Â
Now add onto that the 8 million pieces of plastic entering our oceans every day, and the millions of marine animals dying from plastic pollution. Every single year.Â
As we face the pandemic of COVID-19, the use of single-use plastic, like face masks and gloves, is growing. Many supermarkets closed their bulk sections for health reasons, but are still ignoring the bigger picture: the health of our planet.Â
Starbucks and other coffee shops have stopped allowing customers to bring their own cups. New health policies are making them serve only in single-use plastic or non-recyclable cardboard cups.Â
This feels overwhelming, but there is hope to tackle this crisis and save our oceans, rivers, and lakes… And so, our planet.
What Can You Do About Nurdles?
First, shift away from single-use plastic and into a more sustainable lifestyle. Raise awareness about these issues by sharing this article with friends and family and through social media.Â
If we want nurdles out of our waterways and bodies, we must stop producing and consuming so much plastic.Â
To put an end to the nurdle problem, it needs to be addressed by governments and large corporations. Individuals alone can’t bring a full solution to the problem. Organizations like The Great Nurdle Hunt and Nurdle Patrol are working on this issue.
How is Ocean Blue Project Helping?
Ocean Blue Project is helping to tackle the plastic pollution issue with regular clean-ups all around the United States. There are 8 to 14 million tons of plastic entering our oceans every year. The ultimate goal of OBP is to remove 5 million pounds of debris from lakes, oceans, and rivers by 2025. Â
Want to help us reach our goal? Organize a local cleanup in your community and clean up your favorite beach or river. We’ll help you put your event together. With your help, we can create an even bigger impact. Create a clean-up with a group of friends or office employees!
As a non-profit organization, we’re also committed to educating people— especially youth— about the current climate challenges we’re facing.Â
Learn more about our work and our impact, and what we’re doing to fight the plastic pollution in your community.Â
Author bio: Ana Mexia is a freelance copywriter for sustainable businesses and an activist for climate change based in Brooklyn.Â