Nurdles: Europe's worst unknown plastic pollution crisis

From the rugged coastlines of the North Sea to the sun-drenched beaches of the southern Mediterranean, Europe faces a pervasive yet little-known environmental threat: pollution from tiny, round plastic pellets.

They are called nurdles, and they are the foundational building blocks for nearly all plastic products, from yogurt cups to toothbrushes, computer casings, and car bumpers. But as essential as they are for consumer goods, nurdles are also a vast source of plastic pollution.