Plastic nurdles washing up on Dorset beach at Kimmeridge Bay

Staff at Dorset Wildlife Trust’s Wild Seas Centre at Kimmeridge Bay have reported a “large” amount of tiny white plastic pellets washing onto the beach in the last few days.

Nurdles pose a real threat to marine wildlife and are often eaten by fish and birds.

They accumulate in their stomachs causing feeding and digestion problems which can be fatal.

Plastic nurdles have been washing onto the beach at Kimmeridge Bay (Image: Dorset Wildlife Trust)

Julie Hatcher, Wild Seas centre officer, said: “For many years, we have encouraged visitors to hunt for nurdles and handpick them from the beach to help protect the important beach and shoreline wildlife.

“However, the number of nurdles currently on the beach has been truly shocking.”

Plastic nurdles have been washing onto the beach at Kimmeridge Bay (Image: Dorset Wildlife Trust)

Nurdles are raw plastic transported to factories worldwide to be melted and moulded into a myriad of plastic products from bottles and bags to window frames and sunglasses.

The pellets have multiple pathways to oceans, whether being spilt in factories and washed down drains or directly into the sea from container ships.

Ms Hatcher added: “We don’t know where they have come from, but many people are collecting handfuls of them and bringing them to us for disposal.”

Plastic nurdles have been washing onto the beach at Kimmeridge Bay (Image: Dorset Wildlife Trust)

Sarah Hodgson, centre officer at Fine Foundation Wild Chesil Centre, said: “The toxins already in the ocean found on larger floating plastics are absorbed by the nurdles.”

Ms Hodgson said when marine life consumes the nurdles, they will feel “full up and just stop feeding”.

As reported by the Daily Echo, residents had reported seeing ‘thousands’ of nurdles washing up on beaches along the Dorset coast including Highcliffe and Southbourne in recent weeks.

Bournemouth resident Anna Mantzouratou had told the Daily Echo how she saw a “significant amount” at Kimmeridge Bay on Saturday, March 26.

Another resident also reported seeing a large amount of plastic nurdles on Southbourne Beach between March 21 and 23.

Dorset Wildlife Trust said apart from collecting and removing these tiny plastic pellets from beaches, people can take action against this type of pollution by avoiding single-use plastic and excessive packaging and by choosing items made from natural materials wherever possible.