South Tyneside Council has called for residents to report sightings of plastic pellets on the coastline after a spillage caused by a vessel collision on Sunday.

The council has confirmed that the pellets, or ‘nurdles’, have been washed up on areas of the coastline since the incident, which involved a collision of the Wind Orca ship and the berthed container ship BG Orange and resulted in a crane on the quayside collapsing.

Up to 25 tonnes of the tiny plastic pellets could have been released into the water, the local authority has estimated. Its teams have since been deployed to monitor the locations impacted by the spillage, with the Port of Tyne revealing that measures are being taken to clear the pellets and prevent more from being released.

In a recent statement, the council said that risks to public health on shore are ‘very low’ given the pellets are not toxic. However, it highlighted that wildlife and animals can be made vulnerable if they ingest the nurdles.

As part of its recommendations, the local authority has urged residents not to handle any pellets, as well as advising that dogs should be kept on leads in the relevant spots.

It has also called for residents to report sightings of the pellets on beaches in South Tyneside, while providing reassurance that a clean-up operation is being carried out alongside the Environment Agency, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, the Port of Tyne, specialist contractors, and other agencies.

‘South Tyneside Council takes its responsibility to protect the borough's coastline, wildlife and natural environment seriously. We will continue to work with partners to assess any impact and support efforts to protect coastal habitats and wildlife while the response continues’, the statement reads.