March 18, 2022
Last month, National Geographic published a captivating article entitled “How a Dramatic Win in Plastic Waste Case May Curb Ocean Pollution.” The article details the story of retired boat captain Diane Wilson, explaining how she won a crucial law case covering plastic pollution in the Gulf of Mexico. For three years, Wilson and a team of volunteers had dedicated themselves to collecting roughly 46 million nurdles from the waters and coastline. “Nurdles” are small plastic pellets that are essentially the raw materials of plastic production. Companies such as Formosa Plastics, the manufacturer charged in this case, produce millions of tons of them annually. Microplastics like nurdles make up a significant portion of marine plastics and are extremely harmful to wildlife; they can choke animals who ingest them and expose them to dangerous toxins. Wilson took Formosa to court and accused the company of violating the Clean Water Act, backing up her claim with jarring video footage and the physical evidence of her nurdle collection. Formosa faced significant consequences for the continued offense: the settlement included directing $50 million into a trust that funds research and conservation efforts, a commitment to reversing the damage its spills caused, and a fine of $25,000 a day for each future violation. Although the data surrounding the case is devastating, Wilson’s win sets an important precedent for the power of a citizen to hold a large corporation accountable for its impact on the environment. The article presents the hopeful prospect of a significant change in the management of microplastics as other manufacturers see the standard to which Formosa is now held.
