Tyne nurdle spill: 18 tonnes of microplastics lost after ship crash — SkimNews
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- Wind Orca collided with the container ship BG Orange at the Port of Tyne on 19 July, causing a gantry crane to collapse and spill 18 tonnes of plastic nurdles into the river
- Port of Tyne, the Environment Agency, and the North East MSA stated that full recovery of the 18 tonnes of nurdles is not achievable, though 28% had been recovered by the end of September
- Dr Matthew Perks at Newcastle University reported that modelling suggests one in eight nurdles remain in the Tyne estuary, with high river flows potentially flushing them downstream in autumn
- Danish Environment Protection Agency confirmed nurdles found on Denmark’s western coast likely originated from the Tyne spill, indicating transnational spread
- Professor Bhavani Narayanaswamy said the long-term impact on wildlife is unknown, though nurdles can block digestive tracts and absorb toxic chemicals harmful to marine life
- BG Orange’s insurers are largely funding the clean-up, with local councils and the Port of Tyne also contributing, while councils are recording costs for future compensation claims
Why it matters: The spill—believed to be Europe’s worst of its kind—releases a billion microplastics into marine ecosystems, where they can persist for years, threaten wildlife, and travel internationally. With full recovery ruled out and breakdown into nanoplastics inevitable, the long-term environmental cost grows, shifting burden to public agencies and volunteers despite private insurers covering initial clean-up costs.
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