One billion plastic pellets spilled into River Tyne after two ships collide

Approximately one billion tiny plastic pellets have spilled into the River Tyne following a collision between two ships. The incident resulted in an estimated 25 tonnes of nurdles, which serve as the raw material for plastic manufacturing, entering the waterway.

According to reports, the spilled pellets have spread significantly further than initially feared, raising concerns over the extent of the environmental impact from what has been described as a devastating spill.