Environmental Crisis On Galician Beaches

Recent weeks have seen the Galician coast in Spain awash with millions of tiny white plastic balls, transforming its picturesque beaches into an environmental nightmare.

This environmental disaster began on December 13, with the discovery of plastic pellets on Espiñeirido beach.

Maritime Mishap

The source of the plastic tide has been traced to the Liberian-flagged Toconao ship. While sailing near the Portuguese coast, off Viana do Castelo, the vessel lost several containers to the sea. One of these containers was filled with bags of pellets which are now littering the Galician beaches.

The Challenges Of Clean-up

These pellets, also known as Nurdles or mermaid tears, are less than 5 millimetres in diameter. They are a raw material for various plastic products, including bottles and bags. Their small size and lightweight nature make them notoriously difficult to remove from sandy beaches.

The environmental group Noia Limpa has identified about 70 bags, each weighing 25 kilos, scattered along the coast. These bags, originating from Bedeko Europe, a company based in Poland, have broken open, spilling their contents across the sand.

‘People started sending us photos on Instagram of the bags on Espiñeirido beach,’ shares Madison Hourihan, founder of Noia Limpa. The group observed an increase in sightings around Christmas, indicating the spill occurred on December 6.

Government Inaction Criticised

Despite the magnitude of the problem, efforts to clean the affected beaches have been hampered by bureaucratic and resource constraints. ‘We cannot go to the beaches to clean. We need a permit from the competent administrations,’ explains Hourihan.

Local authorities, with limited resources themselves, depend on the Xunta and the national government for assistance. Environmental group Adega has called for an urgent contingency plan from the Xunta and the Coast Department of Galicia, criticising their lack of action in controlling the spill’s impact and cleaning up the microplastics.

The Government Delegation in Galicia outlines that for the mobilisation of resources from the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO), the Xunta needs to activate its territorial plan (CAMGAL) and declare it an emergency situation 2.

Meanwhile, the responsible company has pledged to handle the clean-up, contacting organisations to assist in the removal of the pellets.

Impact On Local Economy And Wildlife

The environmental crisis threatens not only the scenic beauty of Galicia but also its local economy, which relies heavily on seafood and sea fishing. Moreover, the toxic nature of these pellets poses a significant risk to marine life.

Adega warns of the serious consequences if immediate action is not taken, highlighting the risk of marine animals ingesting these pollutants.