PERIL OF PLASTIC PELLETS IN RIVERS

Tiny toxic beads causing serious damage

- NADA FARHOUD

BILLIONS of poisonous plastic pellets end up in our rivers, streams and seas every year causing devastating damage.

The little beads, known as nurdles or mermaid tears, enter waterways due to being lost during transportation or plastic production processes.

An estimated 230,000 tons of the pellets which are cheap and designed to be as small as possible for ease of transport - find their way into oceans annually. That is equivalent to 15 billion plastic bottles.

Environmental charity Fidra said: "This plastic pollutes our environment before it has even been used to make anything.

Beaches across the world are affected. Those close to industrial areas are particularly susceptible.

An accumulation can smother habitats and restrict plant growth and they can be eaten by birds, which mistake them for food.

I visited one of the worst areas for this type of pollution in the UK Chessel Bay, part of a site of special scientific interest along the River Itchen in Southampton, Hants.

Here hundreds of thousands of colourful microplastic pellets litter the nature reserve with some wedged a foot deep in mudflats.

Due to its natural geography, Chessel Bay has become a collection point for floating debris in the river and reed beds.

There are several plastic manufacturers near the Itchen estuary.

Other areas suffering include Teesside where Tees Valley Wildlife Trust reported thousands of small blue rubber balls washed up on beaches.