Plastic pellets on beaches (nurdles)

Plastic pellets, also known as nurdles, have been reported on parts of the North East coastline following a vessel collision in the River Tyne on Sunday 19 July 2026. The Council is responding to reports of pellets washing up on sections of the Borough’s coastline and is working with partners to assess the extent of contamination and support clean-up activity where appropriate.

The Port of Tyne has issued a statement relating to the initial incident. You can read this here Port of Tyne Update: Plastic Pellet Spill Response | Port of Tyne.

Nurdles are tiny plastic pellets, usually around 1–5mm in size, used as raw material to manufacture plastic products such as packaging, bottles and containers.

Nurdles have been reported on sections of the North East coastline. They have washed up across the shoreline, mainly near the Tyne in South and North Shields and some have been reported along Wearside and Northumberland coastline.

Nurdles can move with tides, wind and currents. They may continue to move with the tide and may come ashore over more than one tide cycle.

The exact quantity of nurdles released into the environment is still being assessed by the relevant agencies. Partners are working to understand how much material was involved, how much remains contained, and how much has been recovered.

Council teams are monitoring affected locations, supporting a coordinated clean-up operation with partner organisations, and working with the Environment Agency, Maritime and Coastguard Agency, Port of Tyne, neighbouring local authorities, the Mayoral Strategic Authority specialist contractors and other agencies to assess the extent of contamination and support removal where appropriate.

Clean-up activity is being coordinated around tidal conditions, with planned work ongoing.

The nurdle clean-up is manual and time-consuming, involving methods such as rakes, brushes, sieves and bags. Nurdles are very small and can spread with tide, wind and currents. Nurdles can float, wash up on the beach and sink to the seabed.  They may be mixed with sand, stones, seaweed or other beach material. There is some equipment that makes the clean-up process faster. This equipment is now in use along the coastline to support the clean-up.

Yes, we are working with specialist organisations including Briggs Marine, helping clean-up in areas affected by plastic pellets. Briggs Marine has specialist expertise and equipment to make the clean-up faster and more efficient.

The pellets can be moved by the tide, and clean-up teams are working around tidal conditions to remove material as effectively as possible.

It is important to record the weight of collected nurdles so partners can understand how much material has been recovered over time and estimate what may remain in the environment.

Collected material needs to be stored, classified and disposed of appropriately.

For now, we are asking people not to undertake clean-up activities alone and to wait for organised guidance. The Council is grateful for offers of support but is asking people not to carry out clean-up activities alone while the response is being coordinated.

There are three main reasons: safety, coordination and data. The Council needs to make sure people follow safety precautions, avoid creating additional issues, and ensure collected material is weighed and recorded so the environmental impact can be understood.

The Council is looking at ways to organise volunteer clean-up sessions and will share more information when guidance is available.

Report plastic pellets on North Tyneside beaches

Information on how to report nurdles across other Local Authorities can be found on each local authority website.

People can also help the clean-up operation by avoiding stepping on nurdles or pushing them deeper into the beach's surface.

Yes, of course! The coastline continues to be open for business and leisure. There are lots of exciting activities taking place across our beautiful seafronts.

If you are out and about enjoying our fantastic coastline please be mindful of the important clean-up operation which is currently taking place. Please keep a distance to let our hardworking teams continue this important work.

The public health risk on shore is considered to be very low. The plastic pellets are not toxic, but people are advised not to handle them.

People are being advised not to handle the pellets as a precaution and to support a safe, coordinated clean-up. If you do inadvertently touch any nurdles, just as with any other items of debris you might touch on the beach, UKHSA advise people follow usual handwashing guidance.

The public health risks on shore are very low and that the plastic pellets are not toxic, but they can pose a risk to wildlife and other animals if ingested.

Dogs should be kept on leads in affected areas and owners should prevent pets from eating or playing with pellets.

Pellets can pose a risk to wildlife and other animals if ingested. If a dog or other pet eats pellets and you are concerned, contact a vet for advice.

People should check the latest Environment Agency bathing water advice before entering the water.

The Environment Agency’s Swimfo service gives information on designated bathing waters, incidents, water quality sample results and any advice against bathing.

The Environment Agency bathing water quality site currently advises against bathing at some beaches due to poor water quality. This was in place before nurdles were found in the area.

People should check the Environment Agency’s bathing water quality information before visiting a beach or entering the water. UKHSA’s wild swimming guidance advises people to check water quality through Swimfo before heading to a beach, lake or river, and the Environment Agency’s Swimfo service shows water quality information for designated bathing waters.

Bathing water quality

UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) advises people to observe local safety signs, avoid swallowing water or splashing it into the mouth where possible, cover cuts and scratches with a waterproof plaster, wash hands after swimming and seek medical help if they become ill after swimming.

The Environment Agency is responsible for bathing water quality information and advice on designated bathing waters.

Nurdles can pose a risk to wildlife and other animals if they are ingested.

Nurdles are small, persistent plastic pellets and can spread through the marine environment. They can be harmful to wildlife if mistaken for food and eaten by birds, fish or other marine animals, and they can be carried by wind and sea across beaches and coastal habitats.

Partners are considering environmental sensitivities, including SSSIs and other designated sites, as part of the response.

Yes. If you find injured or distressed wildlife, please do not handle it. Contact an appropriate wildlife rescue organisation for advice. You can find information on reporting an injured animal here Report a dead or injured animal - GOV.UK.

This is a multi-agency response involving:

• Local authorities, including North Tyneside
• the Mayoral Strategic Authority
• the Environment Agency
• Maritime and Coastguard Agency,
• Port of Tyne,
• Specialist contractors
• National Trust
• Other agencies.

The cause and circumstances of the vessel collision are subject to ongoing investigations.

The Council will look to recover the costs of the clean-up from the insurers of those responsible.

The pellets entered the water following a vessel collision at the Port of Tyne. The Council’s role is to support the multi-agency response, protect the coastline, support clean-up and keep residents informed. The collision and wider circumstances are subject to relevant investigations.

The Council will continue to provide updates as work progresses and more information becomes available. It is anticipated that the clean-up will take a considerable amount of time with repeat cleaning activity required at the same location as the nurdles move with the tide

More pellets may wash ashore with tides, and multiple clean-ups may be required. There will be a need for ongoing clean-up rather than a single one-off removal

No, beaches remain open at this time.

Yes. People visiting the coast should avoid handling any pellets, keep dogs on leads in affected areas, follow any on-site signage, and avoid areas where clean-up activity is taking place. People can also help the clean-up operation by avoiding stepping on nurdles or pushing them deeper into the beach's surface.

Yes. Council teams are monitoring affected locations and supporting a coordinated clean-up operation.

GOV.UK has a bathing waters collection from Defra and the Environment Agency, including information on bathing water quality, classifications and local authority signage rules. GOV.UK: Bathing waters [gov.uk]

UKHSA has guidance on staying healthy while wild swimming, including checking water quality, observing local safety signs, avoiding swallowing water and washing hands after swimming. UKHSA: How to stay healthy while wild swimming [ukhsa.blog.gov.uk]

Nurdle UK provides information about microplastic clean-up and specialist equipment used in nurdle and microplastic removal. Nurdle UK

The Great Nurdle Hunt/Fidra provides information about nurdle pollution, how nurdles affect wildlife and how sightings can contribute to wider evidence gathering. The Great Nurdle Hunt [nurdle.org.uk] [nurdlehunt.org.uk]