Walkers on beaches at Brook, Compton and Bembridge Harbour may have noticed small plastic pellets mixed in with the sand.
These pellets – known as nurdles – also appear on other Island beaches, and the problem extends far beyond the Isle of Wight, with nurdles polluting oceans and coastlines worldwide.
What are nurdles and why do they matter?
Nurdles are the raw plastic pellets used in manufacturing, and their escape into the environment represents a significant and widespread form of plastic pollution.
Research from campaign group Fidra suggests that proper legislation could cut plastic pellet loss by as much as 95 per cent.
Calls for the UK to act
The European Union has already introduced new laws to prevent pellet loss from entering the environment, while global agreements on the issue remain pending.
Planet Aware, the group behind a local campaign to address nurdle pollution, is calling on the UK government to match – and go further than – the EU’s approach.
Sign the petition
Planet Aware has launched a petition calling for legislation to tackle the problem, and is urging Island residents to sign.
The petition is open at the UK Parliament website, and further information about nurdles, along with a link to sign, is also available at on Change.org.
