Spain investigates contamination of Atlantic shore by countless plastic pellets spilled from ship

By MARÍA GESTOSO and JOSEPH WILSON
Associated Press

NOIA, Spain (AP) — Countless tiny plastic pellets are washing up on the shores of northern Spain and local authorities have declared an environmental emergency after a shipping container fell off a transport vessel last month. State prosecutors are investigating over fears that the pellets could have toxic properties. They say there are indications that the pellets have also been found on French shores. Greenpeace and other environmental groups calculate the total amount of pellets lost to be in the millions. They say the pellets can break down into even smaller microplastics that can be consumed by fish that are later caught by fishermen.