Coastal Contamination/MSC ELSA 3

Why in News? The Thiruvananthapuram incident highlights a case of coastal contamination, where nurdles—small thermoplastic pellets used in plastic manufacturing—washed ashore after the MSC ELSA 3 sank off Kerala’s coast on May 24, 2025.

Relevance : UPSC Pre &  Mains

Prelims : MSC ELSA 3/PCB/PAH

Mains :   GS 3 ( Env. & Ecology?

What are Nurdles?

Nurdles are tiny plastic pellets, typically made of polyethylene (LDPE or HDPE) or polypropylene, used as raw materials for producing plastic goods like bags, bottles, and containers. They are small (usually less than 5mm in diameter), buoyant, and easily dispersed in water, making them a significant source of marine pollution when spilled. In this case, nurdles from the sunken MSC ELSA 3 have been found mixed with sand and debris along the Thiruvananthapuram coastline.

What is Coastal Contamination?

• Coastal contamination refers to the pollution of coastal environments, including beaches, shorelines, and nearshore waters, by harmful substances or debris.
• This can include chemical pollutants (e.g., oil spills, hazardous chemicals), physical debris (e.g., plastics, nurdles, or shipping containers), or biological contaminants (e.g., sewage). Coastal contamination disrupts marine and coastal ecosystems, harms wildlife, and affects human activities like fishing, tourism, and recreation. It often results from human activities such as shipping accidents, industrial discharges, or improper waste management.

Primary Drivers of Coastal Contamination:

1. Plastic Pollution (Nurdles):

• Nature of Nurdles: These small, pre-production plastic pellets are categorized as microplastics when released into the environment. Their size and buoyancy enable them to mix with sand, sediments, and marine ecosystems, causing widespread contamination.
• Environmental Impact:

• • Marine Fauna: Mistaken for food (e.g., fish eggs), they are ingested by marine animals, leading to intestinal blockages, starvation, and potential bioaccumulation of toxins.
  • Pollutant Absorption: Nurdles act like sponges, absorbing harmful pollutants such as PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons), and DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) from seawater, further magnifying their toxicity.

• Clean-up Challenges: Their small size and ability to blend with natural debris make manual cleanup arduous and time-intensive.

2. Hazardous Cargo:

• Calcium Carbide: This chemical reacts with seawater to produce acetylene gas, posing fire and explosion hazards. The ongoing risk of such materials leaking from containers exacerbates environmental and safety concerns.
• Oil Spill:

• • The ship was carrying furnace oil and diesel, resulting in a significant oil spill. While containment efforts are underway, the potential for shoreline contamination remains a concern.
  • Oil spills harm marine ecosystems by smothering organisms, contaminating habitats, and disrupting breeding cycles.

3. Other Debris:

• Additional pollutants such as textiles, thermocol, and other miscellaneous cargo items washed ashore, complicating cleanup and creating aesthetic and navigational challenges.

Environmental and Economic Impacts

1. Marine Life:

• Nurdles and oil spills threaten marine species through ingestion, entanglement, and habitat degradation. This is particularly critical during Kerala’s monsoon season, a time for fish breeding.

2. Fisheries:

• Fishing bans within a 20-nautical-mile radius of the shipwreck, imposed for safety reasons, have disrupted the livelihoods of local fishers, particularly artisanal fishers dependent on daily catches.

3. Tourism:

• Contaminated beaches deter tourists, reducing revenue for coastal communities that rely heavily on tourism.

4. Long-Term Pollution:

• Plastics like nurdles degrade into microplastics and nanoplastics, infiltrating food chains and potentially affecting human health.
• Residual oil can settle into sediments, causing persistent ecological damage for years.

Response and Mitigation Efforts:

1. Indian Coast Guard (ICG):

• Deployed multiple vessels and aircraft to monitor and contain the spill. Technologies like infrared cameras and dispersants are being used to mitigate damage.

2. Salvage Operations:

• Firms like T&T Salvage are tasked with recovering containers and debris to minimize further environmental harm.

3. Government and Public Actions:

• Civil defense volunteers are clearing plastic debris under the direction of Kerala’s government.
• The Kerala State Pollution Control Board (KPCB) is preparing absorbent materials like jute sacks with sawdust to address potential oil contamination.
• Public advisories discourage unauthorized handling of debris and maintain safety zones around contaminated areas.

Broader Context of Coastal Contamination:

• Incidents like the Thiruvananthapuram spill are not isolated; they reflect global challenges. For instance, the Rena grounding in New Zealand (2012) resulted in similar environmental damage with long-term repercussions.
• Plastics, especially microplastics, dominate marine litter, originating from shipping, industrial activities, and fishing. Their durability and pollutant-absorbing properties make them a persistent threat to coastal ecosystems.