Nurdles have washed up on County Durham shores after one billion plastic pellets are believed to have spilled into the River Tyne following a crash between two vessels.
The environmental incident was triggered when the Wind Orca vessel struck the berthed container ship BG Orange, causing a dockside gantry crane to collapse at the Port of Tyne on Sunday, July 19.
Tyneside beaches have since been littered with the nurdles, which workers are now trying to clean.
(Image: NORTH NEWS LTD)
Now, it has been reported that the pellets, used in the manufacturing of plastic products, have been spotted on beaches in County Durham.
Durham County Council is currently liaising with partner organisations including the North East Mayoral Strategic Authority and making arrangements for a safe and co-ordinated clean-up to begin as quickly as possible.
A spokesman for Durham County Council said: "We are aware of nurdles having washed up on our coastline in recent hours.
"We are currently liaising with partner organisations including the North East Mayoral Strategic Authority and making arrangements for a safe and co-ordinated clean-up to begin as quickly as possible."
They are not toxic, but can pose a risk to wildlife and other animals if ingested.
The council advises beachgoers not to handle the pellets and to avoid stepping on them or pushing them further into the sand.
Dogs should be kept on leads in affected areas.
Officials have also asked the public not to collect nurdles independently.
The spokesman said: "We appreciate some people will want to help clear nurdles and we are grateful for this.
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"However, we would ask that people do not collect independently as it is really important that all nurdles picked up are recorded and weighed so authorities in the region can understand how much has been recovered and assess the environmental impact."
Previously, North East Mayor Kim McGuinness has called on the owners of the two vessels involved in the collision to "put their hands in their pocket" and help pay for the environmental response.
Anyone who spots nurdles on the beach is asked to email nurdles@durham.gov.uk with details of the location (using what3words if possible), date and time, a photo if possible, and an approximate amount of pellets seen.