What Happened
- Plastic nurdles (tiny plastic pellets) have washed up on beaches in Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) following the sinking of the Liberian container vessel MSC ELSA3.
- First major incident of nurdle landings in India due to a shipwreck.
Relevance : GS 3(Environment and Ecology)
Environmental and Ecological Concerns
- Nurdles are primary microplastics (1–5 mm) – raw material for plastic products.
- Though notinherentlytoxic, they pose serious ecological risks:
- Habitat contamination (coastal and marine ecosystems).
- Breakdown into micro and nano plastics, which:
- Enter marine food chains.
- Cause bioaccumulation and long-term toxic impacts.
- Disrupt marine biodiversity.
Impacts on Marine Life and Humans
- Can be ingested by marine organisms, causing:
- Internal injuries, starvation, and reproductive harm.
- Indirect human exposure through seafood consumption.
- Nurdles adsorb toxic pollutants (e.g., persistent organic pollutants) from seawater.
Materials Identified
- Pellets found were LDPE (Low-Density Polyethylene) and HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene):
- LDPE is particularly hard to recycle.
- Commonly used in bags, films, tubes, bottles, crates, medical items.
Disaster Management Response
- Rapid Response Teams formed under the State Pollution Control Board.
- Volunteers are cleaning beaches; police drones deployed for surveillance.
- Focus on removing:
- Plastic granules.
- Oil slicks and hazardous substances endangering marine life and fishermen.
Larger Lessons and Warnings
- Described as a “wake-up call” for India’s:
- Coastal zone management.
- Shipping regulations and safety.
- Marine pollution preparedness.
- Need for proactive regulations on marine plastic transport and emergency spill response.
Way Forward
- Strengthen marine pollution control laws.
- Implement mandatory safety and containment protocols for plastic cargo.
- Develop early warning systems and dedicated marine clean-up units.
- Raise community awareness and volunteer mobilization mechanisms.
- Promote alternatives to plastic and improve recycling infrastructure, especially for LDPE.
