Nurdles: The Plastic Production Leakage Problem
Today, 40 members of Congress joined Representatives Mike Levin (CA-49) and Mary Peltola (AK-At Large) to introduce legislation that protects waterways and people from harmful plastic pollution. The Plastic Pellet Free Waters Act (HR 7634) utilizes the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, also known as the Clean Water Act, as a vehicle for establishing zero discharge limits for pre-production plastic pellets.
What are Nurdles?
Commonly referred to as “nurdles”, plastic pellets are round microplastics (1-5 mm in diameter) that serve as the building blocks of most plastic products, from bottles and forks to car parts. Pellets are produced from fossil fuels and transported, via truck, train, or ship, to other facilities to be manufactured into the plastic products you see every day. Like microbeads, nurdles are a primary microplastic, which means they are intentionally designed to be small. Secondary microplastics are the result of larger plastic items, like water bottles, breaking into smaller pieces.
The Pellet Problem
During their journey from pellet to plastic product, including production, storage, and transport, nurdles frequently escape into the environment. It’s estimated that 230,000 tons of nurdles are lost to the environment each year, with leakage from a single production site ranging from 3 to 36 million pellets annually. Nurdles are the second largest source of ocean microplastics after tire dust (by weight). Like all microplastics, they pollute waterways and shorelines globally, attract toxic chemicals, and endanger wildlife that consumes them.
"The common term for pre-production plastic pellets is 'nurdles', yet that word sounds a little too cute for the second largest source of primary microplastics to the environment. The 5 Gyres Institute commends California Congressman Mike Levin for leading the Plastic Pellet Free Waters Act to hold polluters accountable and protect our nation's waterways,” said Paulita Bennett-Martin, Senior Federal Policy Lead & Programs Strategist at The 5 Gyres Institute.
Nurdles are regularly found polluting coastlines, beaches, and lakes around the globe, but there are major spillage events too. In 2020, a shipping container full of nurdles fell into the Port of New Orleans, releasing up to 743 million pellets into the Mississippi River. In 2021, a cargo ship caught fire and sank off the coast of Sri Lanka, releasing an estimated 1,680 tonnes of nurdles into the ocean and becoming “the single largest plastic spill on record”, according to a UN report. Transport spills also happen on land; just last week, a train derailed in Pennsylvania and spilled plastic pellets along the Lehigh River.
One thing is certain: action is needed to enforce best practices in the supply chain, reduce spillage, and ensure companies are responsible for cleanup. This is why 5 Gyres endorses the Plastic Pellet Free Waters Act.
The Plastic Pellet Free Waters Act
The Plastic Pellet Free Waters Act directs the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to prohibit the discharge of plastic pellets and other pre-production plastics into waterways, storm drains, or sewers from facilities that make, use, package, or transport plastic pellets or other pre-production plastic materials. This bill creates accountability for companies that spill or leak plastic pellets into our nation’s waterways.
"To this day, the United States has no regulation in place to prevent the 230,000 tons of nurdles that are lost to the environment each year. It's time that we hold polluters accountable for the harm they cause. The 5 Gyres Institute commends California Congressman Mike Levin for taking action with the introduction of the Plastic Pellet Free Waters Act," said Paulita Bennett-Martin, Senior Federal Policy Lead & Programs Strategist at The 5 Gyres Institute.
The Plastic Pellet Free Waters Act is co-sponsored by Representatives Jared Huffman (CA-2), Mike Quigley (IL-5), Barbara Lee (CA-12), Melanie Stansbury (NM-1), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-1), Raúl Grijalva (AZ-7), Derek Kilmer (WA-6), Jerrold Nadler (NY-12), Jan Schakowsky (IL-9), Chellie Pingree (ME-1), Adam Schiff (CA-30), Gerry Connolly (VA-11), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Steve Cohen (TN-9), Doris Matsui (CA-7), Chuy Garcia (IL-4), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-1), Salud Carbajal (CA-24), Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11), Kim Schrier (WA-8), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), Ritchie Torres (NY-15), Jamie Raskin (MD-8), Wiley Nickel (NC-13), André Carson (IN-7), Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Linda Sánchez (CA-38), Darren Soto (FL-9), Delia Ramirez (IL-3), Jill Tokuda (HI-2), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), Nanette Barragán (CA-44), Val Hoyle (OR-4), Earl Blumenauer (OR-3), Sara Jacobs (CA-51), Danny Davis (IL-7), Juan Vargas (CA-52), Mike Thompson (CA-4), John Sarbanes (MD-3), and Mark Pocan (WI-2).