Colombo, Sri Lanka — November 2025:
A newly released report, “Nurdle Pollution Along the Western and Southern Coastline of Sri Lanka Following Recent Ship Accidents,” by Greenpeace South Asia, highlights the emerging environmental impacts posed by plastic nurdles — tiny pellets of raw materials universally used for the manufacture of plastic products — that are accumulating along the western and southern coasts of Sri Lanka.
This study, conducted from 7th to 9th of October 2025 across 16 beaches from Negombo to Galle, documents the level of pollution and characteristics of nurdles linked to two major maritime disasters — the 2021 MV X-Press Pearl incident and the 2025 MSC Elsa 3 shipwreck off Kerala, India on 25th May 2025. These incidents have collectively released billions of plastic pellets into the Indian Ocean, creating long-term ecological and socioeconomic impacts for coastal regions like Sri Lanka.
Key Findings from the Survey:
- Nurdles were detected at surveyed sites, with concentrations varying from low to extremely high.
- Most pellets were white and semi-translucent, likely originating from the recent MSC Elsa 3 spill, while others showed signs of weathering, suggesting longer term environmental exposure.
- Cylindrical, granule-like nurdles were observed mixed with other pellet types appearing on the beaches following the MSC Elsa 3 accident.
- The spatial distribution of nurdles, combined with monsoon-driven ocean currents within this period, indicates that pellets released off Kerala likely drifted to Sri Lanka’s coastline, showing the complex interaction between nurdle pollution dynamics and seasonal circulation patterns in the northern Indian Ocean.
- Several sampling sites were located near sensitive ecosystems and fish landing areas, highlighting the risk of severe ecological impact.
Call to Action:
- Improve national laws and enforcement systems to be aligned with, or ahead of international agreements and standards, to prevent nurdle pollution throughout the entire plastic pellet supply chain, by enforcing stricter protocols for plastic pellets handling and transport, and advance spill recovery technologies.
- Mandate the reporting of any loss or spillage of plastic pellets at every stage of the global supply chain to ensure transparency, accountability, and traceability of plastic nurdle handling procedures.
- Classify plastic nurdles as a distinct type of cargo, with specific safety measures including special requirements for packaging, labeling, and stowage of cargo, in order to minimize the potential risks of spills during maritime operations.
Establish well-defined procedures for rapid response, clean-up, restoration and compensation systems, ensuring financial and legal accountability as per the “polluter pays” principle.
