We need to keep plastic pellet pollution out of our waters

These deceptive plastic pellets are easily swallowed by sea turtles and fish — but they’re also impossible to digest, causing wildlife to starve with stomachs full of plastic.

This is the danger posed by “nurdles” — one of the worst forms of plastic pollution that you’ve probably never heard of.

Tell your U.S. House representative: Keep plastic pellet pollution out of our environment by passing the Plastic Pellet Free Waters Act.

Nurdles threaten wildlife like seabirds, turtles, and more

Imagine this: At the edge of the surf, a piping plover darts along a sandy beach in search of food. Scurrying from driftwood to seaweed, she scours the beach for tiny larvae and insects.

Today’s a good day: There’s plenty to eat. But the tiny white larvae and small, clear eggs scattered across the beach and mixed in with the sand are not what they seem to be.

These deceptive snacks are nurdles — they’re easy to swallow but impossible to digest.

Once swallowed, these plastic pieces remain in the stomachs of wildlife, leading to malnutrition and starvation. Nurdles also tend to accumulate other toxins, which are then introduced into the food chain once swallowed by wildlife.

More wildlife like piping plovers and sea turtles will eat and die from the plastic pollution that’s carelessly dumped into their homes.

Take action to stop nurdle pollution and save wildlife

Getting rid of nurdles won’t be easy — we’re up against a powerful plastics industry that’s addicted to this stuff. For plastic producers, it’s a blessing: Nurdles are easy to produce, they’re dirt cheap, and can be easily molded together to create other plastics.

An estimated 200,000 metric tons of nurdles make their way into oceans every year.

We need to protect wildlife from this pervasive plastic threat, and the best way we can do that is by supporting the Plastic Pellet Free Waters Act. If passed, it will require the Environmental Protection Agency to prohibit companies from dumping plastic pellets and other pre-production plastic into our waterways.

No wild animal should have to die because human beings spilled or dumped plastic nurdles into our oceans.

Help save wildlife from plastic pollution by urging your U.S. House representative to pass the Plastic Pellet Free Waters Act.