Resources

Both unique and vulnerable, the Firth of Forth is a treasured asset and inspirational landscape. It is a place where industry and wildlife, sandy beaches and mudflats, ancient fishing villages and Scotland’s capital city come together.

The environmental organization, Fidra, set up The Great Nurdle Hunt in 2014 to address the presence of plastic pellets (or nurdles) washing up along the shores of East Lothian, Scotland, where Fidra’s office is based. This case study pulls together some of the understanding that was built during the development and research of the project. It outlines some of the drivers and impacts of nurdle pollution in the Firth of Forth, and highlights the reasons for focussing on the prevention of this form of pollution at its source.