17.03.25
We are aware of pollution now appearing along the coast of Norfolk and Lincolnshire, bordering The Wash. The pollution is made up of burnt material and plastic nurdles.
The pollution is the result of the collision between the ships, Stena Immaculate and Solong, and it was released into the sea during the early days of the incident, according to the Maritime & Coastguard Agency modelling of weather and water flow. Wildlife Trust staff are continuing to work with the relevant authorities to ensure the material is netted out from the sea and collected from the shore.
Plastic nurdles can be mistaken by wildlife, such as birds, as food, as they can look like eggs or small crustacea. At present there are four patches of nurdles that have been mapped and recorded in surveys. While the nurdle patches have been relatively small, they still present a concern for nature. The relevant authorities have now deployed vessels to try to net pollutants from the sea, and co-ordinated actions are underway to collect any that come ashore, such as those found at Holme Dunes National Nature Reserve.
Kevin Hart, Director of Nature Conservation at Norfolk Wildlife Trust, says:
"We’re very concerned about the nurdles and burnt material that is adrift at sea as well as being washed up along The Wash and the Norfolk coast following the tanker collision last week – and we will continue to support the authorities in their efforts to clean-up the pollution.
“If seabirds eat nurdles they can die from choking or starvation. At this time of the year there is also the risk that the birds return to their nests and feed the nurdles to their chicks. The plastic may also work its way up the food chain to larger marine mammals which feed on fish or smaller animals which have eaten nurdles.
“Nurdles are small plastic pellets and one of the largest sources of microplastic pollution at sea – once they're released into the waves they're very hard to clear up. We already have a huge problem with plastic pollution along the coast of the North Sea and our volunteers spend hours dealing with this laborious task.
“Unfortunately, the risks posed by nurdles increase when other pollutants become stuck to them. We urge members of the public to report nurdle sightings but to avoid touching them as they may have toxic pollutants stuck to them.”
The public are requested not to touch any material found, and that they ring 999 and ask for HM Coastguard to record the location during this emergency response period. If you have data on your mobile phone, using what3words to provide the location would be useful for such reporting. The Wildlife Trusts will continue to work with our fellow environmental bodies and the relevant authorities to address any risks to wildlife in the coming hours and days.
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12/03/2025
Monday’s incident in the North Sea between the Solong and Stena Immaculate continues to be monitored by authorities and we are grateful to them for keeping us informed.
So far, we have had no reports of pollution on the North Norfolk coast, but we’ll continue to be vigilant until we know that the threats have passed.
We want to thank everyone for their support over the last two days. We've been heartened by the response from people offering time and showing they care about our special coastline and the precious wildlife that we care for there.
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11/03/2025
As details continue to emerge, our thoughts are with everyone immediately involved in the accident and the emergency response operation. We will be watching carefully to assess the extent of the pollution into the North Sea and support our colleagues at Yorkshire and Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust whose wildlife-rich coastline and shores are closest to the incident.
Kevin Hart, Director of Nature Conservation at Norfolk Wildlife Trust, said:
"Any pollution incident could be potentially devastating for wildlife and depending on wind direction and contaminants, the Wash and North Norfolk coast, including NWT Holme Dunes nature reserve could be at risk. Our team along the coast will continue to monitor for any signs of pollution reaching Norfolk.
Hydrocarbon pollution reaching Norfolk’s shores could have significant damaging impacts on our wildlife and habitats. The North Norfolk coast is known for its beautiful beaches, saltmarshes, mudflats and tidal creeks. These contain a wealth of wildlife, at this time of year wading birds such as avocet, redshank and lapwing are starting to breed.
The Wash is the UK's most important estuary for wild birds, home to the largest common seal colony in England, and the intertidal sandbanks support important local fisheries. If harmful pollutants end up here the whole interlinked eco-system would be at risk.
In addition, the chalk reefs off the North Norfolk coast is home to a wide array of marine life, as well as crabs and lobsters there are many reef living fish. There are numerous marine invertebrates, some of which are unique to this rare habitat.
We'll continue to keep a close eye on the situation and work with marine authorities if needed.”
Wildlife and important nature areas that could be affected along the North Norfolk coast include:
The Wash – the UK's most important estuary for wild birds, including hundreds of thousands of migrant wading birds. The Wash is also home to the largest common seal colony in England. The intertidal sandbanks here support significant local fisheries and the whole area is important for tourism. The biodiversity of The Wash is recognised in national and international environmental designations including Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and Special Protection Area (SPA). For its enormous environmental, biodiversity and cultural values, The Wash has recently been added to a list of areas in consideration for UNESCO World Heritage Site status.
NWT Holme Dune Nature Reserve is located where The Wash meets the North Sea. Holme Dunes beach is important for ground-nesting birds such as little tern, ringed plover and oystercatcher, all of which depend on healthy marine ecosystems for their food. Many migratory birds such as Sandwich, common and little terns, Mediterranean gulls and diverse shorebirds are expected to arrive here and along the coast in the next few weeks.