Microplastics threaten Texas coast and wildlife
Plastic pellets and microplastics that pollute our oceans, lakes, and rivers pose environmental and potential public health threats. To make Americans aware of these dangers close to home, Environment America and PIRG unveiled a new map on Wednesday that shows facilities that produce micropellets and other pre-production microplastics. Using data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, researchers confirmed that at least 141 total facilities across at least 27 states produce such microplastics, including at least 35 in Texas. Another 193 facilities across the country potentially produce these products, which are used to create the larger plastic items America uses every day.
“Plastic pellets may be tiny, but they pose a huge threat to wildlife,” said Environment Texas Executive Director Luke Metzger. “Turtles, birds and fish need waterways free from microplastic pollution, but if they live near one of these plastic-producing plants, they could be at risk. That’s why we’re calling on lawmakers to stop facilities from dumping or spilling pellets into our waterways.”
Pre-production microplastics can come in powder, flake or pellet form, amongst others. Plastic pellets, also known as “nurdles,” are one of the most common forms. They are melted and molded into finished plastic products the general public sees and uses. Due to their small size and lightweight, plastic pellets are easily spilled. Volunteers have documented pellet dumping and spills across Texas, with 2.4 million pellets collected by volunteers along Gulf beaches since 2018. They accumulate in waterways where they can leach toxic additives as well as absorb toxic chemicals, including DDT, PCBs, and mercury already in the water.
That’s dangerous for birds, turtles and fish, who may mistakenly think the pellets are food such as fish eggs or tadpoles.
PIRG and Environment America intend for the general public, activists and journalists to use the map as a tool to better understand where plastic facilities are located and to identify potential pollution sources in their area. The map breaks down all the facilities that manufacture plastic materials and resins into categories based upon what they make and highlights those that make pre-production microplastics.
“Plastic pellet pollution has become ubiquitous in too many of our communities,” said PIRG’s Beyond Plastic Advocate Kelly Leviker, who compiled data for the map. “I’m hoping this resource will help folks learn more about plastic manufacturing and potential pollution sources within their community.”
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) had previously proposed regulating plastic pellet pollution, but backed down after plastics manufacturers falsely argued the agency didn’t have the authority to do so. Environment Texas is calling on the Texas Legislature to make clear TCEQ has such authority and to require companies to report pellet spills to the agency.
The group also supports the Plastic Pellet Free Waters Act in Congress, which would ban discharges of plastic pellets from facilities or sources that make, use, package or transport them. With bipartisan co-sponsorship from 78 representatives, including Representatives Sylvia Garcia, Lizzie Fletcher and Joaquin Castro, and eight senators, the bill has been referred to the appropriate committees or subcommittees in each house of Congress for debate.
“I have collected millions of nurdles and thousands of plastic powder samples from Texas bays and beaches, but the onslaught of plastic pollution is constant,” said Texas shrimper and environmentalist Diane Wilson, who in 2019 secured a record $50 million penalty against Formosa Plastics for illegal discharges of nurdles into the bays surrounding its Point Comfort, Texas plant. “With our state environmental agency bowing to political pressure and failing to act, our only hope is for the Legislature and Congress to act and protect our beaches and oceans from plastic pollution.”
The new map can help people find good places for plastic pellet hunts. These eyes-on-the-ground events across the country, where volunteers comb waterways for microplastics, have proven how pervasive plastic pollution has become. On Wednesday, Environment Texas is holding one such event at Sylvan Beach in La Porte, where six pellet-producing facilities are located.
