Plastic Pellets called “Nurdles” were released after this train derailment in Highlands.
By Jackie Medcalf / Guest reporter
On December 6, a Union Pacific train accident near Highlands derailed 14 cars, including cars containing liquified petroleum gas (LPG). Fortunately, the LPG cars remained intact, but more than five cars containing nurdles did spill their contents, with two of the cars coming to rest in the drainage canal that connects the Trinity and San Jacinto Rivers.
If this is the first time hearing about a nurdle, don’t feel alone. It’s not a common word, but nurdles are all around the area. A nurdle is a plastic pellet that is so tiny that 22,000 of them fit in a one pound container.
Each railcar can hold 22,000 pounds of nurdles, or about 4.8 million. Authorities quickly said everything was under control.
The Houston Office of Emergency Management said, “This incident does not pose a threat to the city’s drinking water supply,” and the fire marshal’s office confirmed there was no hazardous material release.
Union Pacific said the derailment was “under investigation.”
Here’s what was missing from the official announcements: nurdles, released from the overturned rail cars covered the ground like snowfall. Also missing: concern over the potential environmental harm from the tiny plastic pellets. Depending on their chemical composition, they can release toxins over time. Worse, if they reach water supplies, they look like fish eggs. If birds swallow them, they can be a choking hazard. When fish eat them, the plastic can fill their bellies, keeping them from digesting real food. Since they are made of plastic, nurdles don’t decompose and disappear; they break down into even smaller “nanoplastics.”
In response to community concerns, THEA’s team went to inspect the site and collect samples from residential properties. They discovered that no provisions had been made to contain the plastic pellets or keep them from reaching water sources. Without quick remedial action, nurdles will have a presence in Highlands and in nearby waterways for some time to come.