The grains washed onto the beach after a container fell from a transport ship
(LaPresse) Millions of tiny plastic pellets washed up on the coast of Galicia, in northwestern Spain, on Tuesday 9 January, forcing local authorities to declare an environmental emergency. The pellets were apparently washed onto the beach after a container fell from a transport ship last month. The regional governments of Galicia – which has borne the brunt of the pollution – and Asturias have asked Spain’s national government for help. Investigators fear the pellets may have toxic properties and say there are indications they have also been found on French coasts. The spill was first reported to authorities on December 13, when hundreds of thousands of tiny white pellets began washing up on Spain’s Atlantic coast. The Spanish government representative for the Galicia region said the Liberian-flagged container ship Toconao lost six containers off the coast of Portugal, about 80 kilometers west of Viana do Castelo. One of the six containers contained 1,000 bags of pellets, each containing 25 kilograms of tiny pellets used in the manufacture of plastic products. Greenpeace and other environmental groups estimate the total amount of pellets lost to be in the millions. They say the pellets pose a danger to marine and human life because they can break down into even smaller microplastics that can be consumed by fish that are then caught by fishermen. The Spanish Prosecutor’s Office has opened an investigation. (LaPresse)
January 10, 2024 – Updated January 10, 2024, 12:50 pm
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