May 3, 2025 , 8:00 am – 6:00 pm EST
On Saturday, May 3rd, Environment America Research & Policy Center, USPIRG Education Fund, Student PIRGs, Environmental Action, Nurdle Patrol, Waterkeeper Alliance, and 5 Gyres are hosting the first annual International Plastic Pellet Count– and are looking for volunteers across America & beyond to participate!
Plastic pellets, also known as nurdles, are tiny beads of plastic and are the building blocks of plastic production. They’re shipped across the world to be melted down and molded into water bottles, plastic bags, and countless other items. Lightweight and numerous, they often spill during manufacturing and transport, inevitably ending up in our environment, especially our waterways. It’s estimated that 10 trillion plastic pellets enter the oceans every year. Once in the environment, these tiny pellets can cause big problems.
The International Plastic Pellet Count is a chance for individuals and organizations across the country and beyond to go to their local waterways, look for plastic pellets, and record what they find so we can all have a better understanding of where this pollution is happening. This coordinated day of action will raise awareness about the prevalence of plastic pellets in the environment, especially our waterways, and help catalyze action.
If you’re interested in hosting an event yourself or on behalf of your organization, you can register here. These events can range from one person going out, looking for 10 minutes and recording what they find, to an event with dozens of volunteers scouring for an hour. The most important thing is that we get to as many waterways as possible.
