PENNSYLVANIA — Volunteers across Pennsylvania gathered Saturday along rivers and lakeshores to document plastic pellet pollution as part of the second-annual International Plastic Pellet Count, a nationwide effort to track the spread of industrial plastic debris.
Events were held at locations including the Delaware River at Neshaminy State Park, Lake Erie at Presque Isle State Park, and the Three Rivers in Pittsburgh, with participation organized by PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center, Three Rivers Waterkeeper, and Gannon University’s Project NEPTWNE.
The initiative is part of a broader campaign involving thousands of volunteers nationwide collecting and documenting plastic pellets—also known as nurdles—across waterways throughout May.
Organizers said the data will be used to assess the scale of pollution and support policy efforts aimed at reducing plastic pellet releases during manufacturing and transport.
The Pennsylvania events follow a Clean Water Act settlement involving PennEnvironment and Three Rivers Waterkeeper against a facility accused of discharging plastic pellets into the Ohio River and Raccoon Creek.
Plastic pellets, which serve as raw material for manufacturing, can enter waterways through spills and runoff, contributing to an estimated 10 trillion pellets entering oceans annually.
Once in the environment, the pellets can absorb toxic chemicals such as DDT, PCBs, and mercury and may be ingested by wildlife, allowing contaminants to move through the food chain.
“Nurdles may be small, but their harmful impact on our waterways and wildlife is significant,” said Faran Savitz of PennEnvironment.
Dr. Sherri Mason of Project NEPTWNE said the data collected “supplies critical information to show the scope and scale of plastic pollution.”
The International Plastic Pellet Count will continue through May, with a report expected later this year detailing findings and policy recommendations.
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