(Image: North News)
Hundreds of people have now signed a petition calling for action following the Tyne 'nurdle' spill.
The incident resulted in injuries to a crane operator and several other personnel on the quayside, and saw plastic pellets spilled into the River Tyne, with weeks of pollution now putting the North East’s coastline and wildlife at risk.
Newcastle-based waste broker firm Waste Managed launched the petition, calling for tighter regulations in the shipping industry to avoid another incident of this nature occurring.
(Image: Port of Tyne)
Steve Traviss, procurement and sustainability officer at Waste Managed, said: "It’s now been three weeks since the devastating River Tyne nurdle spill, marking 21 days of plastic pellets polluting the North East coastline and causing untold harm to our region’s wildlife and environment.
"As a Newcastle-based business, we can see first-hand the stark and heartbreaking impact the nurdle spill continues to have on our region.
"But alongside the devastation, we have also witnessed something incredibly powerful: our community coming together."
He said more than 2,000 people have also signed an open letter calling for action, reflecting public anger at the environmental damage and the response from authorities.
Thousands of volunteers have taken part in clean-up efforts, removing nurdles from beaches using sieves, dustpans, and other equipment.
(Image: North News)
Mr Traviss said: "The North East has always been known for its warmth, resilience and community spirit, and throughout the last three weeks, that spirit has been on full display.
"Thousands of residents across the North East have stepped forward to protect the region that they love, armed with sieves, dustpans and determination, sacrificing their time to clean up a mess they should never have been left to deal with."
Mr Traviss said: "Although we cannot thank those volunteers enough, no community should ever have to face the burden of an environmental disaster like this.
"The River Tyne nurdle spill is an incident that should have never occurred.
"The scale of the pollution and the devastating impact on the environment and wildlife is deeply concerning.
"From frustration over a delayed response to anger over local authorities in its aftermath, there are still serious questions that need to be answered."
Businesses across the region have offered their support, providing incentives to encourage more people to join clean-up efforts.
Jake Rusby, owner of Afuera Coffee in North Shields, said: "I was away on holiday when the incident unfolded.
"Watching from afar, I began to see how much of an impact it was having not only on beaches across the North Shields, but the wider region too."
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He continued: "I wanted to do something positive to help the community and support clean-up operations following the nurdle spill.
"With this, I have been offering free drinks to each person who helps out with nurdle clean-ups, to reward them for making a difference."
Steam and Salt, a beachfront sauna in Tynemouth, has offered volunteers taking part in certain nurdle clean-ups a 20-minute complimentary sauna session.
Plus, the Deep North has offered 50 per cent off doughnuts and coffees for volunteers.