What are the "siren tears", the biggest source of plastic pollution in the oceans

The plastic industry uses small balls as raw material to create water bottles on TVs. But before being melted and molded, millions of these plastic pellets end up in the oceans, where they pose a threat to marine life.

"Mermaid tears" may seem adorable, but in reality, they pose a significant threat to the marine environment. Also called "nurdles" in English, these little balls are a raw material in the plastic industry.

Instead of becoming household items, many of these plastic pellets are found in the ocean, where they capture toxins and are consumed by marine life.

They are not so adorable now, is not it? The Nurdles are the bricks with which most plastic objects are made, from bottles of water to televisions.

These beads, which generally measure between 1 and 5 mm, are a type of microplastic created especially for this purpose, as in the case of microbeads used in cosmetics.

The Nurdles are the bricks with which most plastic objects are made, from bottles of water to televisions.

That is, they differ from the microplastics that are released into the oceans from this larger plastic waste. The size of the nurdles makes them easy to transport as raw material, which allows the plants to melt and mold all kinds of plastic products.

Unfortunately, the mismanagement of these small pellets during transportation and processing leads to the unintentional release of billions of dollars into rivers and oceans through effluent lines, evacuated containers or expanded by industrial spills.

An ocean of mermaid tears

The nickname "mermaid's tears" is appropriate if one considers its adverse effects on marine life.

Their small size, round shape and variety of colors make them attractive foods that are easy to confuse with fish eggs and small prey. This "food" has an additional problem: it contains harmful chemicals.

The fact that nurdles have a large surface area compared to their size and that they are composed of polymers allow persistent organic pollutants (POPs) present in the seawater to accumulate at the same time. 39; outside.

These toxins are then transferred to the tissues of the organisms that eat them. The problem is described in the name itself: POPs are "persistent", which means they do not go away easily and can stay on the surface of nuddles for years.

Their small size, round shape and variety of colors make them attractive foods that are easy to confuse with fish eggs and small prey. This "food" has an additional problem: it contains harmful chemicals

They can also be colonized by microbes dangerous to humans.

A study that looked at nurdles on five bathing beaches in East Lothian, Scotland, revealed that all had these pellets and that they were covered with E. Coli, the bacterium responsible for food poisoning.

Nurdles can be so harmful that it is advisable for people who clean the beaches or those who handle them in the course of scientific studies not to touch them without protection, which makes sunbathing on many beaches an unattractive idea.

But how many eddies are there in the oceans and on the coasts? It is estimated that the plastics industry produces up to 53 000 million peat per year in the United Kingdom. That's the same amount that would be needed to make 88 million plastic bottles.

So, why are discussions rarely discussed in the plastic pollution debate?

Hunting for nurdles

Fortunately, there are organizations that raise awareness of the problems of nurdles and their prevalence in marine pollution.

For example, the initiative
Great Nurdles Global Hunt launched by Fidra (a Scottish charity that tackles environmental issues) and the UK Marine Conservation Society encourage citizens to become citizen citizens and to collect data on the frequency of these balls the beaches of whole world.

It is estimated that the plastics industry produces up to 53 000 million peat per year in the United Kingdom. That's the same amount that would be needed to make 88 million plastic bottles

Data collection helps to identify the main sources of contamination, which can then be used to improve the management of the problem.

And because there are so many eddies in the environment, you need an army of people to gather information about them. The hunt takes place for ten days in February of each year.

The scientific citizens record their results on a world map showing the extent of pollution in the world and its evolution over time.

Since 2012, the number of beaches reached reached 1,610 in 18 countries on six continents, with more than 60 organizations involved.

This year, the
The Research Group on Microplastic and Forensic Fibers at Staffordshire University, UK, participated in efforts to estimate the concentration of vortices on Hightown Beach in Liverpool, England.

An average of 139.8 peat per square meter was found. It's about 140,000 on 1 km of coastline.

Useful tips for collaborating as a citizen citizen

Take a look at an online guide to identify the nurdles not to be confused with a polystyrene ball, a lozenge or an old fossil with a nurdle.

Be sure to check for algae and other marine debris while at the beach as they act as nets.

Once you have collected data, do not forget to send your results to an organization so that they can be used to combat the problem of pollution.

And if you do not live near the ocean coast, do not worry, whirlpools have been found in most environments, including rivers, lakes and even far from the water.

We even found them on the campus of our university. So to hunt, but without forgetting the gloves.

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• Claire Gwinnett She is a Professor of Forensic Science and Criminal Science at the University of Staffordshire, UK.
• The article was originally published by the site
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