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Nurdles clean-up volunteers meet Port of Tyne boss

Tom MacDougall,North East and Cumbriaand
Andy Watson,in South Shields
BBC A group of campaigners outside the Port of Tyne Maritime House office, waiting to meet the firm's chief executive Matt Beeton. Two are knelt on the floor in puffin costumes. Others stand behind holding banners. One reads: "Protect our seas." Another reads: "Please save our sea." A third placcard reads: "Beach rules: No plastic crap, no poo, no dirty business."BBC
Campaigners helping to clean beaches after a major spillage of plastic pellets met Port of Tyne representatives

Volunteers helping to clean up a spillage of millions of plastic pellets from beaches have met representatives from the Port of Tyne to discuss next steps.

Tonnes of the pieces of plastic, known as nurdles, washed up on beaches in the north-east of England after a crash between two vessels at the port damaged two shipping containers.

Measures to tackle the spillage were not deployed until several days after the incident, with Mayor Kim McGuinness saying the firm did not act quickly enough.

The port said it had to first focus on a salvage operation to remove a collapsed crane after the collision, but would now engage with community volunteers on how to "best help" get rid of the nurdles.

The firm said removing the crane, as well as moving one of the ships involved in the crash, had allowed it to remove damaged containers from the river that still contained "several tonnes of nurdles" which were at risk of leaking.

Fidra Small, white nurdles in a pile on some wet sand, mixed in with sticks, seaweed and rocks. There are similar piles around this large one, with the nurdles strewn across the sand.Fidra
Tonnes of plastic pellets were released into the North Sea after a ship collision at the Port of Tyne

South Tyneside Nurdle Clean Up campaigner, Colin Porter, said: "We don't think there's been enough done in the river to stop these nurdles going out to sea - the clean up so far has been inadequate."

He said seabirds were picking up the nurdles thinking they were fish eggs to eat, and it risked becoming an "environmental disaster".

Local resident Sunny Moon-Schott, from South Shields, said the community coming together was "heartening" but "we shouldn't have to do this".

"This is negligence and it's so disappointing, the Port of Tyne response was too delayed and now we've got people out with kitchen sieves trying to solve the problem themselves," he said.

Port of Tyne Matt Beeton, an older man with short, grey hair, wearing a high-visibility coat. He is being handed the document by a woman with blonde-brown hair wearing a black, waterproof coat. Behind them, standing in front of a steel fence, is a row of campaigners in ordinary clothing.Port of Tyne
Campaigners handed an open letter to port chief executive Matt Beeton

County Durham wildlife campaigner Rachael Kurtz said "the Port of Tyne are doing nothing and our wildlife and beaches are suffering".

"I may be dressed as a puffin, but I am furious."

Campaigners presented an open letter to the Port of Tyne chief executive Matt Beeton, criticising the port's "inadequate" response.

Beeton said they had discussed their concerns and requests.

"The solution will be in conversation with volunteers who will play a major role in deciding what we do and how we do it," he said.

"Today's meeting strengthened those relationships as we work together for the best outcomes."

Rachael Kurtz, wearing a puffin costume, which includes a tall, orange "beak-style" headdress. She is gritting her teeth and gesturing passionately with her left hand.
Campaigner Rachael Kurtz said she was "furious" about the port's response in the days after the spillage

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