Tideline: clearing microplastics at the Bay
We’re used to marvelling at the treasures brought in by the Atlantic – sea beans, mermaid purses, cowrie shells. But increasingly, what washes ashore tells a different story. Microplastics, carried on the tide, gathering along the shoreline.
That’s why we teamed up with Nurdle UK, to clear the build-up at the Bay.
Washed ashore
Watergate Bay is a microplastic hotspot. Its wide, westerly-facing shoreline acts as a natural catchment for debris travelling across the Atlantic. Strong westerly winds, high-energy spring tides and currents carry floating plastics, particularly lightweight 'nurdles', depositing them in dense lines along the shore.
And whilst the name ‘nurdle’ might sound charming, these tiny plastic pellets (which are the raw material for many plastic products) are far from it. Their environmental impact is significant, threatening marine life and habitats.
The changemakers
Hailing from North Devon, Nurdle UK are pioneers in microplastic clean-ups.
Using specialist tools – industrial trommels, microplastic vacuums, and a custom-built quad-bike towed extraction machine – they’re able to filter nurdles from the sand and remove them for recycling.
They fund their work by providing clean-up services for local authorities, responding to maritime pollution spills, and helping companies deal with plastic incidents. Every penny of profit goes straight back into cleaning community coastlines and improving their technology.
Natural splendour
With nurdles building up at the Bay, the team waited patiently for the right conditions to tackle the latest clean-up, at scale. A bright January weekend brought just that.
Two days, the full host of Nurdle equipment, and a group of willing volunteers led to a very welcome sight come Monday morning. The beach was visibly transformed, the sand returned to its natural splendour.
The right direction
"We understand that this might seem like a thankless task as the root cause itself are the plastics being manufactured" reflects Helen Bishop our Group Head of Sustainability and Engagement.
"But the sea is already filled with them, so supporting efforts through our partnerships with Nurdle UK to find the most effective ways to clear them is a step in the right direction."
Joining us were researchers from the University of Plymouth, gathering data to better understand how microplastics can be removed most efficiently. As part of this, they’ll be back to the Bay each month to monitor return rates.
"This data will allow us to understand how quickly microplastics reaccumulate following a clean up, helping guide when interventions are needed." explains Josh from Nurdle.
"It's an incredibly exciting project, and early findings highlight the scale of the issue, with peak concentrations exceeding 1,700 microplastics per square metre"
New life
And what became of the nurdles collected?
Most are recycled and turned into large plastic sheets for building projects. But we wanted to do something a little different with the multi-coloured plastic pellets that we collected. Something that would celebrate the Bay itself, that brings us, and our guests, so much joy.
There’s talk of an art installation. Perhaps even a surfboard. We look forward to sharing what comes next.
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