Millions of Plastic Nurdles Wash Up on Spanish Shores

Local Residents and Environmental Groups Scramble to Clean Up, as Spanish Prosecutors Open Investigation

Millions of plastic pellets, known as nurdles, have washed up on the shores of Galicia, Spain, after falling from a shipping container on a vessel handled by Danish shipping company Maersk.
The incident occurred in December and the missing containers were immediately reported to Spain and Portugal.
Nurdles are used for producing food-grade packaging and water bottles, and are considered the second largest source of primary microplastic pollution globally.
Local residents and environmental groups have been working to clean up the nurdles, which are extremely difficult to remove from the environment once they have been spilled.
Spanish state prosecutors have opened an investigation into the incident, fearing the nurdles could have toxic properties and impact marine and human life.