'Environmental disaster' fears after one billion plastic pellets enter River Tyne

The incident has been dubbed Europe’s worst ever nurdle pollution incident. On 19 July tonnes of tiny beads, known as nurdles, entered the River Tyne when a vessel struck a shipping container in South Shields The incident has been dubbed Europe’s worst ever nurdle pollution incident. On 19 July tonnes of tiny beads, known as nurdles, entered the River Tyne when a vessel struck a shipping container in South Shields