Sri Lanka's coastline is facing an environmental crisis as toxic debris from a sunken container ship washes ashore. Thousands of tiny plastic pellets known as nurdles, along with chemical residue and oil, are polluting vast stretches of the island's beaches.

Colombo

Sri Lanka is dealing with a new environmental crisis after debris, including thousands of plastic pellets and hazardous materials, began washing up on its northern beaches. The pollution is believed to originate from the MSC Elsa 3 container vessel, which sank in Indian waters, sending 640 containers—13 of which contained hazardous substances—into the sea.

Local authorities and volunteers are working to collect the debris and assess the environmental impact. The incident has renewed calls for improved maritime response and stronger environmental protections, as Sri Lanka's strategic location on busy shipping routes exposes it to repeated maritime disasters. The government is gathering evidence for compensation claims and considering legal and institutional reforms to better manage future incidents.

Sri Lanka faces new ecological crisis as MSC Elsa 3 debris spreads

Michael Pillai Jesudasan has fished in these seas near Delft Island off Sri Lanka's northern peninsula for decades. But for weeks now, thousands of plastic pellets and other toxic debris have been washing up on the beaches here, making him worry. What threats and problems will come because of this? Will it affect the little fish stocks that we have? This is a major concern for all the fishermen. The debris is believed to be from this container vessel, the MSC Elsa 3, a ship that sank in Indian waters in late May. Sri Lanka's Marine Environment Protection Authority or MIPA has deployed dozens of people to collect the material washing up. We are now working on a 15-kilometre stretch in Nuduntivu where a large amount of plastic pellets are washing up. Of the 640 containers that went down with the ship, 13 were reported to be carrying hazardous material, including calcium carbide. The plastic noodles, which measure less than 5 millimetres, are a huge concern for environmentalists. More than 350 kilometres from Delft Island, that concern has brought Mudita Katuawala and a team of volunteers to sift out pellets that have washed up on the Mount Lavinia beach. He says Sri Lanka's location on a busy shipping route has led to a number of similar disasters, threatening the country's marine environment and livelihoods. Sri Lanka is a maritime hub. It's centrally located in the Indian Ocean. We should have better maritime services. We should be able to respond to these disasters much sooner, much faster. The chairman of MIPA says it is working to assess the damage of the latest disaster and collecting evidence for compensation claims. He told Al Jazeera that changes are needed to improve the way Sri Lanka handles such disasters. We need further strengthening in the institution, strengthening the law of this country and the equipment and the technology. Those things should be strengthened more for better enforcement. The recent incident brings up memories of Sri Lanka's worst maritime disaster in 2021, when the MV Express Pearl caught fire nine kilometres off the Sri Lankan coast. Last week, the Supreme Court ordered the owners of that ship to pay an initial amount of $1 billion for environmental damage and economic loss. Environmentally, Sri Lanka must act fast to minimise the damage of this latest incident and protect itself from marine pollution from within and outside its territorial waters and ensure those responsible are held to account. Minal Fernandes, Al Jazeera, Colombo.

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