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Nurdles 

What are plastic nurdles? Nurdles, or plastic ‘pellets’, are tiny granules of plastic less than 5 millimetres in size that are used in industry to manufacture all kinds of plastic products. Plastic nurdles have been one of Plastic Soup Foundation’s most important issues since 2015. We are highly concerned about the degree to which our environment is polluted by these plastic granules. 

The Problem with plastic nurdles

The more poetic among us have changed the name ‘nurdles’ to ‘mermaids’ tears’, but unfortunately, the reality is less poetic. In the EU alone, up to 23 billion plastic nurdles end up in the environment every day. In one year, this amounts to an inconceivable 8 trillion nurdles that equates to 160 million kilos.  

And this is only Europe. The Great Nurdle Hunt, a Scottish organisation, estimates that about 230 billion kilos of plastic nurdles enter our seas and oceans every year. That amount is likely to be far higher as there is no data available for several countries, including China. 

This puts plastic nurdles in second place of microplastics pollution in the environment. ‘Secondary’ microplastics, small particles released by the wear and tear of textiles and tyres, are at number one. 

Continue reading our Nurdle file

  • Pollution worldwide

    Nurdles are the second most polluting kind of microplastics. Read about the reasons why and the extent of the damage.

  • Our research

    In 2015 we started our research on nurdle pollution in the Netherlands and Belgium. Read it and shudder!

  • Our legal action

    In 2019, we used legal means for the first time – successfully – to remind the industry of its responsibility toward the environment.

  • Industry

    The industry can no longer ignore the problem, and some producers have already made the first improvements.

  • Our next steps

    We are already focusing on producers that are still lagging [[behind on improvements]] and on governments failing in their enforcement duties.

  • Legal files

    For those of you who want to deep-dive into the nurdle case, you can find the relevant legal documents here.

Continue reading our Nurdle file

Pollution worldwide

Our research

Our legal action

Industry

Our next steps

Legal files

Donate and support us!

In 2019, for the first time in our existence, we used a lawyer in the fight against plastic pollution. This had never been done before in Europe, but to our delight was immediately successful. Unfortunately, this kind of legal action is quite expensive for a small organization like Plastic Soup Foundation. Hence, the request to support us financially. Because we won’t win this battle without you!

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Nurdle timeline

  • March 2022

    Publication Whistleblower Report

    PSF publishes revealing report about the pollution of the Western Scheldt with plastic granules.

  • October 2020

    Chemelot bijeenkomst met plasticproducenten

    Chemelot organizes a meeting to address the nurdle pollution issue with other plastic producers and PSF.

  • September 2020

    Roundtable

    Ducor organizes roundtable to address the nurdle pollution issue with other plastic producers. 

  • July 2020

    Operation Clean Sweep

    Chemelot signs the Operation Clean Sweep covenant and presents a plan of action. The plan is approved in consultation with PSF and RUD. RUD, therefore, refrains from intervening.

  • April 2020

    Ducor starts cleanup.

    Ducor starts its promised cleanup.

  • April 2020

    PSF informs environmental agency RUD

    PSF informs environmental agency RUD, which may enforce the agreement made by Chemelot to clean up the surroundings of its industrial complex.

  • March 2020

    penalty is imposed on Ducor Petrochemicals

    Ducor Petrochemicals is held responsible for pollution and a penalty is imposed – the first of its kind in Europe. 

  • January 2020

    Request for Enforcement

    PSF submits a Request for Enforcement to environmental service DCMR.

  • 2 December 2019

    Rapport Schone Rivieren

    Clean Rivers Project report shows that nurdles are found at half of the surveyed sites along the Dutch rivers Maas and Waal.

  • November 2019

    Freedom of Information Request

    PSF submits a Freedom of Information Request to environmental agency DCMR.

  • 7 May 2019

    Research Nurdle pollution Chemelot

    PSF launches a major investigation into nurdle contamination at Chemelot, and in the Ports of Rotterdam and Antwerp. 

  • 1 January 2019

    MSC Zoe

    MSC Zoe container spill incident impacts the Dutch Wadden Islands. 

  • June 2015

    Start research

    PSF begins its first investigation into nurdle contamination with British organization Fauna & Flora Int.

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Read here more about the pollution

Inform us

Would you like to notify us about plastic nurdles pollution or other microplastics contamination? Then send us an email:

In the press

Report from Nieuwsuur (January 16, 2020):

Articles about Nurdles

Ducor tries to shift the responsibility for plastic pollution

https://www.plasticsoupfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/ducorvechtdwangsomaan.jpg 1500 2000 Plastic Soup Foundation https://www.plasticsoupfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/PSFlogo_nieuw.jpg Plastic Soup Foundation2020-07-15 14:50:002021-01-28 11:03:36Ducor tries to shift the responsibility for plastic pollution

Plastic manufacturer Ducor begins promised cleaning action

https://www.plasticsoupfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/ducor.jpg 1333 2000 Enora Regnier https://www.plasticsoupfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/PSFlogo_nieuw.jpg Enora Regnier2020-05-01 11:56:462021-01-28 11:05:06Plastic manufacturer Ducor begins promised cleaning action
Nurdles,

Ducor Petrochemicals to be held responsible for plastic nurdle pollution

https://www.plasticsoupfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Nurdles_Londenhaven-Rotterdam.jpg 1500 2000 Enora Regnier https://www.plasticsoupfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/PSFlogo_nieuw.jpg Enora Regnier2020-03-27 14:36:172021-01-28 11:05:39Ducor Petrochemicals to be held responsible for plastic nurdle pollution

At least 24 million nurdles washed up on dutch beaches

https://www.plasticsoupfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/IMG_8473.jpg 2240 3984 Carina van Uffelen https://www.plasticsoupfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/PSFlogo_nieuw.jpg Carina van Uffelen2019-03-14 00:00:002021-01-28 11:06:09At least 24 million nurdles washed up on dutch beaches

Extensive loss of pellets at sea remains without sanctions

https://www.plasticsoupfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/pellets-containnerramp-schiermonnikoog.jpg 846 1200 Plastic Soup Foundation https://www.plasticsoupfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/PSFlogo_nieuw.jpg Plastic Soup Foundation2019-01-28 00:00:002021-01-28 11:06:38Extensive loss of pellets at sea remains without sanctions
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