Pollution likely to come from last week’s collision involving an oil tanker and cargo ship.
This week, we started to see plastic nurdles, pellets the size of lentils, washing up along miles and miles of the Norfolk coast, including on our nature reserve at RSPB Titchwell Marsh. Many were loose but some were clumped together, charred and smelling of kerosene.
We are deeply concerned about this. This whole area, part of our East Coast Wetlands, is internationally important for birds and wildlife. It’s a crucial migration route at this time of year, a vital feeding place for seabirds, and soon the nesting site for rare and threatened terns and wading birds.
Currently the plastic pollution is on the tidelines. Sadly, there is probably little that can be done about the scattered individual nurdles on beaches, but we are extremely grateful to HM Coastguard for their prompt reaction to assess the scale of the pollution and put plans in place for the clean-up.
We are also concerned about where more plastic debris may make landfall if it is not collected at sea. Current modelling predicts it may end up at the RSPB nature reserve at Freiston Shore on the western side of The Wash, and at Holbeach. We are monitoring the situation closely and working with the authorities to help track the location of plastic debris.
This once again shows the vulnerability and fragility of our precious marine environment.
Plastic nurdles pose a significant risk to seabirds, which can mistake them for food. Ingesting these tiny pellets can lead to malnutrition, digestive blockages, and exposure to toxic chemicals, severely impacting their health and survival. A recent study has even linked plastic ingestion in seabird chicks to organ failure and neurodegeneration similar to Alzheimer’s disease.
Making matters worse, nurdles do not simply disappear. Over time, they break down into even smaller microplastics, further contaminating the marine environment and increasing the risk of ingestion by seabirds and other wildlife. These tiny fragments can also absorb harmful pollutants from the ocean, magnifying the toxic effects when consumed.
Seabirds are already under immense pressure from climate change, declining food availability, accidental capture in fishing operations (bycatch), and entanglement in fishing nets. Many also face predation from non-native invasive species on their nesting islands and habitat loss due to industrial development along coastlines and offshore, including the expansion of renewable energy infrastructure. On top of this, they have suffered extensively from the devastating effects of avian flu.
In 2024 four UK shorebirds moved to IUCN Red List and five seabird species were added to the UK Red List. This new additional threat posed by plastic pollution to their feeding and breeding grounds adds to their problems. Beyond this current issue, it’s vital that we urgently build resilience in our marine bird populations, to ensure that they have the best possible chance of survival, not just today but for future generations.
If you come across any nurdles or possible pollution along the Norfolk coast or surrounding areas please call Humber Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre on 0344 382 0580 or email zone8@hmcg.gov.uk If possible, please provide a 'What Three Words' location or a grid reference to assist HM Coastguard to identify the exact location.
In an emergency call 999 and ask for the coastguard.
