How to participate in the International Plastic Pellet Count
A global day of action against plastic pollution in our waterways.
Imagine walking along your nearby river or beach and spotting hundreds – or even thousands – of lentil-sized plastic beads buried amongst the sand, rocks and vegetation. In many places this is a reality, and it’s a problem most people don’t know exists.
We are shining a spotlight on this problem by co-hosting the second annual International Plastic Pellet Count on Saturday, May 2nd, and we’re looking for volunteers across America & beyond.
Plastic pellets, also called nurdles, are the building blocks of the plastic supply chain. They are produced in large quantities to be shipped all over the world to be made into many of the plastic products we see every day – everything from bags to water bottles.
Unfortunately, plastic pellets are frequently dumped, spilled or lost during transit, finding their way into our waterways and oceans. It is estimated that more than 10 trillion plastic pellets enter our oceans every single year.
Once present in our environment, plastic pellets can cause harm to fish and birds. If these animals mistake plastic pellets for fish eggs or other natural food sources, they can starve with their stomachs and throats full of plastic.
U.S. PIRG Education Fund, Environment America Research & Policy Center and many other organizations are coming together for the second annual International Plastic Pellet Count on Saturday May 2nd, 2026– a global day of action where volunteers around the world search for plastic pellets in riverbanks, lakeshores and beaches. It is a chance for individuals and community groups to go to their local waterways, look for plastic pellet pollution, and record what they find, so we can all have a better understanding of where this pollution is happening.
The 2025 Inaugural International Plastic Pellet Count brought together more than 1,100 people across 229 sites and saw nearly 50,000 plastic pellets removed from our environment around the world. This year, we know we can do even more to highlight the prevalence of plastic pellet pollution, and work toward lasting change to protect our environment and our wildlife.
To have an even bigger impact this year, we need dedicated volunteers like you who can help bring awareness to plastic pellet pollution and catalyze action.
Participating in the event is simple. At minimum, it only takes one person and 10 minutes to make an impact on plastic pellet pollution in your area. Once registered, participants will receive additional resources and guides to help in their counts.
Register now to participate in this year’s International Plastic Pellet Count.
Authors
Grace Vickers
Beyond Plastic, Associate, U.S. PIRG Education Fund
Grace works on plastics campaigns and initiatives to reduce plastic pollution across the United States, including the International Plastic Pellet Count. She is now working as the Plastic Pellet Free Waters campaign associate with Environment America. Grace lives in Portland with her partner, where she enjoys mountain biking, hiking and baking.
Lisa Frank
Executive Director, Environment America Research & Policy Center; Vice President and D.C. Director, The Public Interest Network
Lisa leads Environment America’s work for a greener, healthier world. She also directs The Public Interest Network’s Washington, D.C., office and operations. A pragmatic idealist, Lisa has helped win billions of dollars in investments in clean energy and transportation and developed strategic campaigns to protect America’s oceans, forests and public lands. Lisa is an Oregonian transplant to the Capital region, where she loves hiking, running, biking, and cooking for friends and family.
Find Out More
The true cost of plastic
Hundreds of volunteers kick off a month of action to address plastic pellet pollution
Here’s why we’ll be documenting plastic pellets this May
