News Release: Microplastics threaten Lake Erie and wildlife

CLEVELAND — Plastic pellets and microplastics that pollute our oceans, lakes, and rivers pose environmental and potential public health threats. To make Ohioans aware of these dangers close to home, Third Act Ohio and PIRG held a nurdle hunt at Euclid Beach on Sunday. Volunteers sifted through the sand and found a total of 1,029 plastic pellets.

“Plastic pellets may be tiny, but they pose a huge threat to wildlife,” said Ditte Wolin, co-facilitator, Third Act Ohio. “Turtles, birds and fish in Lake Erie and its watershed need environments free from microplastic pollution, but if they live near one of these plastic-producing plants, they can accidentally eat pellets that look like their regular food. I was saddened but not surprised to find so many plastic pellets today. It’s clear we need to do something to stop this pollution from happening.”  

Plastic pellets, also known as “nurdles,” are one of the most common forms of pre-production microplastics. Manufacturers melt and mold them into finished plastic products the general public sees and uses. Due to their small size and lightweight, plastic pellets are easily spilled and often end up polluting the environment, especially waterways. 

Ohio currently has at least 10 facilities that make pre-production plastics, according to a new map recently released by PIRG. 

Investment in and production of fossil fuel-based plastics is on the rise in Ohio.  Many of the same oil and gas companies that have for decades intentionally derailed efforts to reduce the burning of oil, gas and coal causing the climate emergency, are now building up the plastics industry to ensure they will continue to profit from extraction in the Ohio River Valley.

Mary Beth Naim co-facilitator, Third Act Ohio points out that “big oil and gas companies are using plastics as their next revenue growth opportunity with little concern for the environmental and health impacts.  There are an estimated 36,000 oil and gas extraction wells that have been orphaned leaving Ohioans holding the bill.  How much will cleanup of plastic toxins in our air, water and bodies ultimately cost Ohioans?”

Volunteers have documented pellets that end up on beaches across Ohio and the rest of the United States in recent years. Plastic pellets accumulate in waterways where they can leach toxic additives as well as absorb toxic chemicals, including DDT, PCBs and mercury, already in the water. 

“Plastic pellet pollution has become ubiquitous in too many of our communities,” said PIRG’s Beyond Plastic Advocate Kelly Leviker. “Nurdle hunts such as the one done this weekend help document where this pollution is happening so we can work together to stop it.”

Third Act and PIRG are supporting a bill in Congress called the Plastic Pellet Free Waters Act, which would ban discharges of plastic pellets from facilities or sources that make, use, package or transport them. The bill is currently co-sponsored by 82 representatives and nine U.S. senators and has been referred to the appropriate committees or subcommittees in each house of Congress for debate.

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