Tiny plastic pellets called “nordles” are polluting beaches across the United States, potentially harming human health as they accumulate in the food chain. per State line.
What is happening?
The granules, typically less than five millimeters in diameter, serve as the building blocks for almost all plastic products. Unfortunately, an estimated 445,970 metric tons of pellets enter the oceans annually.
Volunteers recently collected nearly 50,000 plastic pellets over 11 days at more than 200 sites across 14 countries and 29 U.S. states, with coastal sites in Washington, D.C., Texas having the highest number at 23,115, followed by California with more than 4,000, Michigan with more than 3,500, and South Carolina with more than 3,000.
“They are everywhere,” said Diane Wilson, executive director of the San Antonio Bay Estuarine Waterkeeper, per Stateline. “They pose a real threat to human health and the planet, and we are trying to protect the communities, fishermen and bays.”
Meanwhile, in Oregon, the pellets washing ashore from the Pacific Ocean can be so numerous that “the pellets appear to have become part of the sand,” said Celeste Miffrin-Swango, Oregon’s environmental director, according to Stateline.
Why is Nordic pollution important?
The granules act like sponges to remove toxins as they move through the food chain, posing a health threat to wildlife and humans. Scientists estimate that adults consume the equivalent of one credit card per week in microplastics — and studies in animal and human cells suggest they are linked to cancer, heart attacks, reproductive problems, and more.
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Plastic pollution can also harm the tourism and fishing industries. Texas alone relies on outdoor recreation, supporting nearly 300,000 jobs and $14 billion in payrolls, per Stateline — $31 billion in total value.
These pellets can be very difficult to clean up once they are released into the environment. Their small size allows them to spread quickly through water systems, contaminating large areas and requiring extensive efforts to collect even small amounts.
What is being done about Nordic pollution?
California enacted particle pollution controls in 2007, while lawmakers in Illinois, New Jersey and Virginia introduced bills in 2025 to address the problem, according to the article.
Meanwhile, Texas lawmakers have proposed legislation that would classify the pellets as non-hazardous industrial waste, leading to improvements in recordkeeping and containment requirements.
Organizations representing recreational fishermen and tourism groups sent a letter to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott urging the adoption of new standards to prevent pellet discharges into waterways, and the Galveston City Council approved a resolution supporting stronger regulations.
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