Pittsburgh's new plastics concern : Shell's plant increases environmental fears

The recent opening of a plastics facility in Beaver County, Pennsylvania has sparked concerns regarding potential environmental repercussions, notably increased pollution and the presence of plastic pellets, known as nurdles, in local water bodies.

The Shell cracker plant, utilizing ethane to generate significant plastic output, has led to visible pollution along the Ohio River. Local environmental advocates, including Evan Clark from Three Rivers Waterkeeper, have reported detecting chemical odors and a substantial accumulation of plastic nurdles in the river, raising alarms about potential contamination.

The site's industrial history, marked by significant contamination, compounds these worries. Legacy pollutants and ongoing heavy metal contamination from stormwater runoff further exacerbate the environmental concerns.

Nurdles, resembling lentil-sized pellets and used as raw material in plastic production, pose a severe threat to marine ecosystems. Their propensity to escape into water bodies during production and transportation poses risks to wildlife, as ingestion can prove fatal to birds, fish, and other aquatic organisms.