We are excited to announce the launch of The Great Global Nurdle 2025 report!
During the month of October 2025, over 1,500 volunteers across 25 countries took part in 297 nurdle hunts, from Canada to the Democratic Republic of Congo and beyond, to document and raise awareness of global nurdle pollution. A big thank you to all the amazing nurdle hunters who took part!
Download The Great Global Nurdle Hunt 2025 Report Here!
Nurdle pollution impacting biodiversity around the world
Data collected by volunteers for The Great Nurdle Hunt since 2013 reveals that some of the world’s most sensitive ecological areas are contaminated by plastic pellets, threatening habitats including coral reefs, mangroves, and rivers and wildlife such as turtles and seabirds.
The results reveal 90% of nurdle hunts done in biodiversity hotspots around the world between 2013-2025 found nurdles, with 23 globally important sites affected. Pollution has been revealed to be widespread in protected areas including those in Mexico, India, the UK, and Galapagos. Many of these areas are home to some of the world’s rarest and most endangered species such as, corals, turtles, and whales who are already under immense pressures from climate change.
Quote from Megan Kirton, Senior Project Officer, Fidra
“The Great Global Nurdle Hunt provides crucial evidence of nurdle pollution but also shows decision makers that people really care and want to see further action to address this issue. It is shocking to see UNESCO World Heritage sites like the Galapagos impacted by plastic pellet pollution, these precious sanctuaries are being contaminated by preventable industrial pollution.’’
Download the new Great Global Nurdle Hunt 2025 report for the full results and learn more!
A baby turtle amongst nurdle pollution, credit: The Pearl Protectors
What are Nurdles?
Nurdles are small plastic pellets, they are the industrial feedstock of the global plastics industry and a major source of microplastic pollution. Every year, an estimated 445,970 tonnes of nurdles are spilled into the environment around the world. Nurdles are produced at petrochemical plants around the world, they are then transported by land and sea to be melted down to make almost all our plastic products. Nurdles enter the environment due to mismanagement by the plastic industry at every stage of the supply chain, during plastic production, transport and product manufacturing.
Impacts of nurdle pollution
Nurdles are commonly made from fossil fuels, and can contain toxic chemicals. They can also be made from recycled plastic and biobased materials. Once in the environment nurdles are almost impossible to remove and can adsorb toxic chemicals and pathogens present in the surrounding environment. Easily mistaken for food by many animals, nurdles and the chemicals in them can enter the food chain, with consequences for human and wildlife health.
More than 700 marine species have been shown to ingest marine plastic debris. Nurdles have been found in the stomachs and digestive tracts of a variety of species, from seabirds including fulmars in the North Sea and Australia to green turtles and fish off the coasts of Brazil. Nurdle pollution can have further negative impacts to local economies and industries such as fishing and tourism.
About the Great Global Nurdle Hunt
Environmental charity Fidra established The Great Nurdle Hunt in 2013 to support our aim of preventing plastic pellet pollution. Volunteers visit beaches, riversides and industry sites year round and log their findings on the online nurdle map (at www.nurdlehunt.org.uk or via our app), providing vital evidence of this global issue. The Great Global Nurdle Hunt is a month long event to gather further evidence and highlight the issue around the world.
Join our nurdle NGO network
Our growing nurdle network is allowing organisations to share knowledge and expertise on solutions, bringing us all closer to stopping global nurdle pollution for good. If you are a NGO you can join our directory by signing up here.
Learn More
If you would like to learn more about nurdle pollution and access further resources and information on solutions visit our NGO Nurdle Information Hub