Say No to Nurdles: Why the Plastic Pellet Free Waters Act Needs Our Support

Grace Clark

When we think of plastic pollution, the image of a grocery bag floating past a sea turtle immediately comes to mind. However, one of the most dangerous forms of plastic pollution comes in tiny pieces. Even though these pellets can be smaller than a seashell, they are entering our ocean systems by the trillions and adding up to an enormous cost. Fortunately, through community organizing and legislative support, we have the opportunity to stop the invasion of plastic into our ecosystem.

What Are Nurdles?

Tiny plastic pellets, also called nurdles, are one of the worst forms of plastic pollution currently threatening our oceans. Each year, over 400 million tons of these lentil-sized plastic pellets are cheaply transported and used to make countless forms of single use plastics, including Styrofoam and water bottles. In the same amount of time, an estimated 10 trillion nurdles enter our marine ecosystems through unsustainable disposal practices. In fact, since the tiny plastics are easily contaminated with dust or debris, these dangerous raw materials are often washed down the drain or dumped directly into local waterways. There are currently no penalties for companies irresponsibly disposing of nurdles and no incentives to promote safe practices. These practices show no sign of stopping- it’s even expected that nurdle production could more than double by 2026. It’s clear that until companies are willing to embrace sustainable packaging practices, something should be done to protect our oceans.

The Impact of Nurdle Pollution

Nurdles are incredibly dangerous for marine wildlife and ocean lovers. As the small pieces move continuously through currents and weathering conditions, they often break into even tinier plastics. Unlike larger pollutants that may be mistaken for food by an animal, nurdles are often so small that they’re easy to ingest completely on accident. They sometimes even become covered with algae, causing them to be ingested by mussels, scallops and oysters. Once this happens, the nurdles can stay in the digestive system, making an animal feel “full” while it starves of the nutrients it needs to survive. It’s not uncommon for an animal to starve to death once the stomach becomes completely filled with pellets. If this doesn’t happen, the plastics are moved up the food chain to crabs, fish, and eventually larger predators, keeping the cycle in motion.

This issue is incredibly pervasive, with over 220 species of marine animals having been known to ingest plastics, but marine animals are particularly vulnerable, as over 56% of all marine mammal species are confirmed to ingest plastic. This includes over 40% of seabird species, whose digestive gizzards become easily clogged by plastics. Chicks have been found with “lower weights, as the plastic in their stomach keeps them from eating a full meal.” (NOAA)

This issue is incredibly pervasive, with over 220 species of marine animals having been known to ingest plastics, but marine animals are particularly vulnerable, as over 56% of all marine mammal species are confirmed to ingest plastic. This includes over 40% of seabird species, whose digestive gizzards become easily clogged by plastics. Chicks have been found with “lower weights, as the plastic in their stomach keeps them from eating a full meal.” (NOAA)

The Plastic Pellet Free Waters Act

The Plastic Pellet Free Waters Act is a proposed bill aiming to ban certain discharges of nurdles into American waters. The act would prohibit plastic pellet pollution from facilities that produce, transport, or use nurdles. This bill is related to the Break Free from Plastic Pollution Act of 2023.

The bill currently has a total of 38 cosponsors, or supporters in Congress, from California, Illinois, Massachusetts, Florida, Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, Washington, Colorado, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Tennessee, and Virginia. (To see if your representative has cosponsored, click here.) It still has a long road ahead- 290 are required in order to be added to the Consensus Calendar, which would allow the bill to be considered by the House.

Luckily, there’s still time to contact your representative and let them know that you want our waterways protected so they can be enjoyed safely by humans and wildlife alike.

Nurdle Patrol

You can also learn about the Nurdle Patrol program to directly help science understand plastic pollution so it can better protect our planet. Inspired by the tens of thousands of pellets washed up on Mustang and North Padre Islands in Texas, the Harte Research Institute at Texas A&M began tracking nurdle pollution in 2018. This citizen science project uses information submitted by citizens to track the density of dangerous plastic pellet pollution globally, and understand where on our coastlines nurdles culminate through current travel. Their surveys are only ten minutes but have the ability to change the way we protect our marine ecosystems.

Conclusion

Whether you’re a beach lover yourself, you rely on a marine industry, or you have a favorite ocean animal, irresponsible nurdle disposal stands in the way of fully enjoying our planet. Believing science means following through and protecting our ecosystems against dangerous plastics. Supporting a ban on these practices means supporting a longer and healthier future.

Citations

Blog, O. B. E. N. (2025, November 14). What are Nurdles and what are Nurdles used for. Environmental Nonprofit Organization. https://oceanblueproject.org/what-are-nurdles-what-are-nurdles-used-for/ 

Meiffren-Swango, C. (2024, March 22). Millions of tiny plastic pellets are being dumped into our waterways. Environment America. https://environmentamerica.org/articles/millions-of-tiny-plastic-pellets-are-being-dumped-into-our-waterways/ 

NOAA | NOS | OR&R Marine Debris Program. (2023, February 7). Ingestion. Marine Debris Program. https://marinedebris.noaa.gov/why-marine-debris-problem/ingestion

Nurdle Patrol. (n.d.). https://nurdlepatrol.org/en/about