Nurdles

Every year 130,000 metric tons of plastic pellets, known as nurdles, get into the sea. For example from sinking ships, and currents, wind and waves wash them ashore in large quantities. Quick collection of nurdles over a large area can prevent them from getting back into the sea. BeachTech beach cleaners screen large quantities of nurdles reliably. A single pass removes up to 95% of the nurdles from the sand! Depending on the field of application, various screen sizes are available. The cleaned sand is screened and dumped back onto the beach.

Plastic granules (nurdles) on the beach of Sri Lanka, black smoke in the background

Nurdle CleanUp in Sri Lanka

When the vessel X-Press Pearl sank off the coast of Colombo, Sri Lanka, countless plastic pallets, known as nurdles, were spread across 700 km of coastline. The Alliance to End Plastic Waste supported the Marine Environment Protection Authority of Sri Lanka with multiple BeachTech Sweepy machines in capturing these nurdles. We are proud to be a part of this important project.

Plastic granules (nurdles) on the beach: Millimeter-sized beads that are difficult to pick up.


Nurdles are only about the size of lentils and, thus, are extremely difficult to pick up by hand.

The screening belt of a BeachTech beach cleaner, which sieves nurdles out of the sand.


The close meshed screen of BeachTech beach cleaners allows a large number of nurdles to be filtered out of the sand.

Three BeachTech beach cleaners are used on the beach of Sri Lanka to sift nurdles out of the sand


By using professional beach cleaning machines, beach cleaning operations are less physically demanding and more efficient.

BeachTech finisher and a clean beach in close-up


Clean and safe: BeachTech beach cleaners leave a deep-cleaned and level sand bottom.

Plan your beach cleanup now

Get on the road to your own Beach cleanup by contacting one of our product experts who will answer your questions and help you design, organize and market your beach cleanup.

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