BNSF Railway, the Coastal Environmental Rights Foundation, San Diego Coastkeeper, and North County Transit District announced Thursday they have settled allegations related to spillage during the transportation of small plastic pellets known as nurdles.
Nurdles are the raw form of plastic resin that’s melted and molded into everything from soda bottles to clothing fabrics, food packaging and artificial Christmas trees. About the size and shape of a lentil, they are produced in mass quantities and sent to manufacturers in trucks, shipping containers and railroad freight cars.
“The parties worked collaboratively over many months to investigate and develop industry-leading standards for the safe and secure transportation of plastic pellets,” states a joint news release.
The Coastal Environmental Rights Foundation and San Diego Coastkeeper filed suit in February 2024 against BNSF and NCTD claiming that “thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of the plastic particles” were found along the tracks near North County lagoons and waterways.
Once spilled on the ground, nurdles can get into the water and join the rising worldwide tide of plastic pollution. They look like food to birds and fish, and can harm or kill animals that eat them.
“BNSF has introduced updated policies and enhanced protocols to prevent the accidental spillage or release of plastic pellets throughout the United States,” the news release states. “The new policies require BNSF’s customers to properly seal both loaded and unloaded rail cars that transport plastic pellets.
“In addition, BNSF will not pick up and pull non-compliant cars and will implement escalating fees for non-compliance,” it states. “BNSF has rolled out these changes nationwide and the parties are pleased to have collaborated in developing this enduring set of changes.”
The resolution also includes a BNSF donation to support efforts in San Diego County to address plastic pollution in the environment, it states.
“This is a significant win for our oceans, both locally and globally,” said Patrick McDonough, Coastkeeper’s senior attorney, in the news release.
“With an estimated 25-30 billion nurdles entering our oceans every day, we’re thrilled BNSF and NCTD have joined Coastkeeper and CERF to take a leadership role in tackling this crisis,” he said.
