Volunteers cleaning up millions of plastic pellets that have polluted the River Tyne and the North Sea are criticizing the government's response, calling for it to be declared a national emergency. The spill occurred after a collision between two ships at the Port of Tyne.
Olly Armstrong, a campaigner from North Shields, North Tyneside, described the situation as an emergency and stated that the cleanup effort lacks urgency. He believes the spill would have been treated with more immediate attention if it had occurred in the south of England. "This should be declared a national emergency," Armstrong said. He added that the North often feels ignored and that this incident is an opportunity to demonstrate its importance.
Thousands of volunteers have spent weeks clearing beaches of the plastic pellets, often referred to as nurdles.
Armstrong, who has been orchestrating the volunteer response while getting only a few hours of sleep a night, stated, "We're in an emergency situation."
Campaigners have called for Prime Minister Andy Burnham to intervene. A government spokesperson commented that the Environment Agency has been involved from the beginning, supporting partners, and is now increasing its efforts on the ground. The environment secretary has also spoken with North East Mayor Kim McGuinness to discuss the response and subsequent actions.