An estimated 10 trillion plastic pellets make their way into oceans each year, where they can take 100 to 1,000 years to break down, according to a report by The Pew Charitable Trusts. (Adobe Stock) Listen to the story HERE By Kathryn Carley Jul 7, 2026 Environmental groups said tiny plastic pellets are increasingly showing up in U.S. waterways, threatening wildlife […]
An estimated 10 trillion plastic pellets make their way into oceans each year, where they can take 100 to 1,000 years to break down, according to a report by The Pew Charitable Trusts. (Adobe Stock)
Listen to the story HERE
By Kathryn Carley
Jul 7, 2026
Environmental groups said tiny plastic pellets are increasingly showing up in U.S. waterways, threatening wildlife and human health.
The pellets, also known as nurdles, are about the size of a lentil and serve as the building blocks of plastic products. They are often spilled in transit or released through permitted factory discharges.
Chelsea McDonald, clean water defense campaign manager for the nonprofit Waterkeeper Alliance, said a recent count by volunteers around the world found more than 1 million pellets.
“These pellets are really just like a slow-motion oil spill into our waterways that aren’t going away unless it’s being cleaned up,” McDonald emphasized.
She pointed out the fossil fuels needed to make plastic are a major driver of climate change. Dark pellets in the environment also have been found to absorb more sunlight, leading to quicker snow melt.
Volunteers found a minimal number of pellets in Maine but environmental groups warned plastic is increasingly being found in New England staples such as oysters and mussels. Fish, birds and other animals often mistake plastic pellets for food, which can lead to internal blockages, reduced nutrition and genetic damage. Toxins can move up the food chain as predators eat contaminated fish and can eventually end up on dinner plates.
McDonald noted there are solutions, including installing better filters on factory discharge pipes and using more secure transit containers.
“This is truly a preventative problem by a small subset of companies that then we’re able to create a solution to, which I think is really exciting, because I don’t feel like many environmental issues are that cut and dry,” she asserted.
Introduced federal legislation called the Plastic Pellet Free Waters Act would require the EPA to ban pellet releases from factories and other sources that make, package or transport them. The bill is co-sponsored by Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-Maine. Colorado passed a statewide ban earlier this year.
Anyone who finds plastic pellets in their area is encouraged to report them through NurdlePatrol.org to add to the global count.
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