Collection Of Pellets From The Toconao Ship Spill On Galician Beaches

NOIA, A CORUÑA GALICIA, SPAIN - JANUARY 13: Two volunteers from the Noia Limpa organization participate in the collection of pellets on Bos beach, on 13 January, 2024 in Noia, A Coruña, Galicia, Spain. Already known as the "white tide", it is expected to come from the six containers from the ship Toconao that fell into the sea in Portuguese waters. At least one of the six containers, weighing around 20 tons, is believed to contain between 800 and 1,000 25-kilogram sacks of pellets. Pellets are small plastic balls of less than five millimeters that are used to manufacture plastic products. Because of their small size and light weight, it is "almost impossible to clean them up" once they are scattered on the beaches. (Photo By Elena Fernandez/Europa Press via Getty Images)