The chief executive of the Port of Tyne in the UK is calling on the International Maritime Organization to accelerate the introduction of a mandatory transport code for plastic pellets, known as nurdles, following recent pollution incidents. Coverage notes that IMO has been working on recommendations for packaging, declaration, and stowage, but port authorities and environmental groups argue current classifications and voluntary guidance are insufficient to prevent major spills.
As of September 3, 2026, the CEO of the Port of Tyne in the United Kingdom has publicly urged the International Maritime Organization to impose stricter regulations on the maritime transport of plastic pellets, or nurdles. The call comes in response to recent shoreline and marine pollution incidents, as well as the major spill off Sri Lanka in 2021, where a ship fire and sinking released large quantities of pellets into the Indian Ocean. UK media report that the port, working with local stakeholders and environmental NGOs, is pressing IMO to reconsider the current classification of nurdles as “non‑toxic” cargo, given documented harm to seabirds and ecosystems once pellets enter the environment.
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