Microplastic pellets, other marine debris begin washing Sri Lankan shores

Colombo, Jun 13 (PTI) Days after a cargo vessel sank off the Kerala coast, microplastic pellets and other marine debris have begun washing ashore along the northern coastlines of Sri Lanka, raising environmental concerns, a media report said Friday.

These pellets have been washed up in areas including Delft Island, Jaffna, Nainativu, and Mannar and minor trances have also been found along the Kilinochchi and Chilaw coastlines, Sri Lanka Mirror said.

Liberian-flagged cargo ship, MSC Elsa 03, sank on May 25, about 14.6 nautical miles from Thottappally in Alappuzha district of Kerala.

“Yesterday, we observed plastic pellets from the sunken vessel washing ashore along the Delft and Jaffna coastlines,” said R H M V Abeykoon, acting chairman of the Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA).

“With strong winds and rough seas expected in the coming days, ocean currents may carry more of these pellets to our shores,” Sri Lanka Mirror said quoting Abeykoon.

According to the MEPA, the debris is believed to have originated from the MSC ELSA 03 cargo vessel.

On May 28, international organisations had warned of the possibility of the debris from the shipwreck to reach Sri Lanka’s coastline and the risk was further confirmed by the Indian Coast Guard on May 30, the newspaper said.

At the time of the incident, the vessel was carrying 643 containers, including 13 classified as dangerous goods. “Twelve of them held calcium carbide, a chemical that can release toxic gases when it reacts with seawater… Additionally, around 60 containers were filled with plastic pellets,” said MEPA General Manager Jagath Gunasekara.

Any chemical substances would be significantly diluted before reaching our shores, since the incident occurred about 300 nautical miles from Sri Lanka, Gunesekara added. “There is no health risk, and no fishing bans or restrictions are necessary in Sri Lankan waters.” He also said that operations to clean up the affected coastal areas would be expanded, prioritising removing plastic pellets on the shorelines, Sri Lanka Mirror said. PTI NPK NPK