We are very excited to announce the official launch of The Great Global Nurdle Hunt 2024! Take part in a nurdle hunt between the 1st – 30th September and join volunteers around the world calling for change to end nurdle pollution.
Nurdles are tiny lentil sized plastic pellets, which are used to make almost all plastic products. Each year over 445,000 tonnes of nurdles spill into the environment around the world from global plastic supply chains, making them the second largest source of primary microplastic pollution.
Once nurdles enter the environment they are practically impossible to remove and can spread far from the original pollution source. Nurdles can have negative impacts to human and animal health, while also affecting communities and local economies. But this pollution is preventable!
2024 is a big year for ending nurdle pollution. Results from The Great Global Nurdle Hunt 2024 will be used by NGOs to highlight the issue to governments and call for change at the United Nations negotiations for a global plastics treaty. Meanwhile in Europe proposals for regulation to address nurdles are under discussion. Stopping loss of nurdles from ships is also being considered by the International Maritime Organization. These offer important opportunities to address nurdle pollution but to make them happen we need evidence and to show people around the world care.
By taking part in The Great Global Nurdle Hunt you will help gather important evidence of nurdle pollution, raise awareness of the issue, show decision makers the global scale of the problem and that you want to see change. Over 20,400 volunteers around the world have taken part, and you can join them. Every nurdle hunt helps and together we can end nurdle pollution.
1. Choose a location to hunt between the 1st – 30th September
2. Search for nurdles
3. Count how many nurdle you find
4. Record how long you hunted
5. Record how many people too part
6. Submit your results
Make sure to submit your results by 1st October 2024 to be included in this year’s report!
Download a participant pack, full of useful information and resources to help you take part, including; top tips for nurdle hunting, nurdle ID sheets and social media toolkits to help you promote your nurdle hunt and raise awareness
You can watch our latest webinar ‘What are nurdle and how to nurdle hunt’ on our YouTube channel, to learn all about nurdles and nurdle hunting
If you are a NGO, visit our information hub, full of resources and information on policy, solutions, education and research.
Make sure you follow us on social media (X/Twitter, Facebook and Instagram) to keep up to date with all things nurdles and help spread the word!
Between the 1st – 30th September 2024 join volunteers across the world and take part in The Great Global Nurdle Hunt! Collect vital evidence of nurdle pollution to help show the global scale of the problem, show decision makers you care and call for change. Together we can #StopPelletPollution!
Guest blogger Falco Martin, Fauna and Flora gives an update on the progress from the International Maritime Organisation to prevent pellet pollution
A comprehensive global plastics treaty is an important step in addressing plastic pollution worldwide from all sources, including nurdle pollution. The treaty is a significant opportunity to address the issue of nurdle pollution globally, with mandatory regulation vital to preventing nurdle pollution throughout the global plastic supply chain. Between 23rd –29th April in Ottawa, Canada, the fourth round of negotiations for a ‘global plastics treaty’ took place, known as INC4. This is purportedly the penultimate round of negotiations to develop an international legally binding instrument (ILBI) commonly referred to as the ‘Global Plastics Treaty’ on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment.
Though some progress was made at INC4 toward developing a final treaty, fundamental issues remain, with much still to be decided on in the final round of negotiations in November 2024. It is essential to continue to call upon policy makers around the world to commit to action on pellets to ensure a comprehensive final treaty.
Get ready - the Great Global Nurdle Hunt is back for 2024! Join nurdle hunters around the world between the 1st- 30th September as we call for an end to global nurdle pollution!
