Join Matanzas Riverkeeper for Nurdle Patrol along the beautiful shores of Marineland Beach!

Plastic pellet (nurdles) releases to the environment have likely been occurring since the mass production of plastic began in the 1950s. The first documented evidence of nurdles in scientific literature was in 1972. Many peer-reviewed research papers are now available on the impacts these tiny plastic pellets are having on the environment.

The Nurdle Patrol data collected by community scientists are showing high concentrations of pellets at beaches, riverbanks, at plastic manufacturing sites, along railroads used for transporting pellets, at distribution centers, and at processing plants. The problem of plastic pellet loss is wide-spread throughout the entire supply chain and solutions to remedy the problem can be imbedded in regulation, policy, and cooperation with industry and regulatory agencies.

Check-in and supply pickup will take place at the River to Sea Preserve Beach Access. You can review the Nurdle Patrol Standard Operating Procedures here. Thank you for helping us protect the health of our local beaches and waterways. We look forward to seeing you there!

Be sure to come prepared:

• Bring sun protection. We recommend you bring a hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen.
• We recommend that you bring water and ask that you bring a reusable water bottle. Please refrain from bringing drinks in single use plastic bottles.