WATCH: Environmental warrior volunteers needed after nurdle ‘attack’ on beaches

TENS of millions of ‘nurdles’ – small plastic pellets used by industry as a raw material in the manufacture of plastic products – are washing up on beaches north of Durban.

Believed to have been dispersed following a shipping container incident during the recent coastal storms, the spillage has now reached as far as Mtunzini.

Coastwatch is calling for local residents to get down to Umlalazi Nature Reserve to scoop up and dispose of the nurdles.

While most of the bags of nurdles have split up in the surf, a sealed 25kg bag also washed up at Mtunzini.

The counter current along the north coast may also carry the nurdles to Richards Bay and St Lucia.

Boat launchers and skippers are also urged to be on the lookout.

While the pellets are not inherently harmful, they do absorb toxins and enter the food chain of fish and marine animals as they give the appearance of being eggs and are consumed.

According to Coastwatch, the longer the pellets remain in the marine environment, the more toxic they become.

Volunteers are asked to arm themselves with a scoop or sieve as well as a bucket or bag and help to clean the beaches.

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