ClientEarth and others[1] are working to stop the expansion of nurdle manufacturing plants in the city of Antwerp, Belgium.
Thousands of nurdles found in Antwerp during The Great Global nurdle Hunt in 2019.
The plant expansion is a $3 billion investment by INEOS called ‘Project One’ which would build petrochemical facilities to convert fossil fuels into nurdles and is proposed to be built next to a protected nature reserve. Client Earth claim INEOS have failed to present the full extent of the potential environmental impacts this project could have, so the group are taking the Flemish authorities to court to try and stop this project.
When this project was first proposed back in 2020 Client Earth took urgent legal action and won an injunction against INEOS due to the lack of investigation of the environmental impacts this project could have Client Earth used data from our nurdle hunt map to show that the surrounding natures reserves and shorelines in Antwerp were already heavily polluted by nurdles from existing industry, and further expansion would only worsen the situation.
Since then, INEOS have sought approval for a new permit which would allow their project to go ahead, and authorities have approved this. However, Client Earth along with several other NGOs appealed the decision and announced in July 2022 that they are taking the authorities to court to stop this project going ahead. They argue that the authorities have failed to fully disclose the environmental impacts of the project making the approval of this project illegal.
We want to thank everyone who takes part in nurdle hunts for providing evidence of nurdle pollution. Our nurdle map shows Antwerp, is already suffering significantly from the devastating impacts of nurdle pollution. It's time for authorities and industry to step up to prevent plastic pellet pollution in our environment.
Read more on this case -> We're finally going to court against INEOS' new €3bn plastic project | ClientEarth
[1] (Bond Beter Leefmilieu (BBL), BOS+, Climaxi, Fairfin, Gallifrey Foundation, Greenpeace Belgium, Grootouders voor het Klimaat, Klimaatzaak, Natuurbeschermingsvereniging De Steltkluut, Plastic Soup Foundation, Recycling Netwerk Benelux, WWF Belgium, and Zero Waste Europe)