Volunteers join River Tyne plastic clean-up

Maritime volunteers join River Tyne clean-up after plastic pellet spill

Volunteer crews have joined a multi-agency clean-up on the River Tyne, using boats and local knowledge to help recover plastic pellets from the water.

Maritime Volunteer Service crew taking part in a River Tyne clean-up Image: Bdaily / Maritime Volunteer ServiceOriginal source

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Maritime volunteers have joined a clean-up operation on the River Tyne after thousands of small plastic pellets were released into the water following a collision at the Port of Tyne.

Members of the Northumbria Unit of the Maritime Volunteer Service provided boats and trained crew after being asked to support the response. They worked alongside the Port of Tyne, Northumberland Inshore Fisheries and Authority, Newcastle Motor Boat Club and Newcastle University.

The teams searched for and recovered nurdles, the small plastic pellets used in manufacturing that can spread through waterways and beaches and pose a risk to marine wildlife.

The volunteer service is not an emergency service, but its crews can provide boats, local knowledge and maritime skills when public agencies request extra support. The Tyne response brought those volunteer skills into a wider environmental operation.