Wider news
Disposal plan for pesticides
MORE than 100 kg of carbofuran and in excess of 480 kg of sodium cyanide products have been safely removed from Scotland’s environment thanks to the Pesticides Disposal Scheme. The scheme ran between
23 February and 29 May 2015, with the support of stakeholders in the Partnership for Action Against Wildlife Crime (PAW)
Scotland, of which the Trust is a member. It offered a free and confidential service for those in possession of illegal pesticides to have them collected and safely disposed of. The Scottish Government and PAW
Scotland stakeholders welcomed the responsible step taken by those who chose to hand them over.
Scottish Bird News appeal
THE Scottish Ornithologists’ Club (SOC), which operated from 1986 to 2009, is appealing to contributors to their quarterly magazine, Scottish Bird News, to contact them if they do not wish for their material to be included in a new, freely-accessible digital archive. The Biodiversity Heritage Library (BHL) has become the world’s main free archive of digitised natural history literature, and has established itself as a leading online research library. By adding Scottish Bird News to the BHL, the SOC hopes more people around the world will find and read its past newsletters. If any copyright holder does not wish to have their material included in free digital access, they are asked to contact
mail@the-soc.org.uk to discuss this as soon as possible, preferably before 1 December 2015.
12 SCOTTISH WILDLIFE NOVEMBER 2015
Nurdle hunter finds millions of pellets in Ayrshire
KEEN nurdle hunter Deborah Fuchs recently spotted millions of nurdles washed up on a beach between Stevenston and Irvine, North Ayrshire. Nurdles (or ‘pre-production plastic pellets’) are the raw material used to make virtually all our plastic products and are about the size of a lentil. Spills can happen during production, transportation or manufacturing, resulting in nurdles being washed out to sea and ending up on our beaches. As well as being eaten by wildlife such as seabirds and marine mammals, nurdles also attract toxic chemicals that can be passed into the food chain. Fidra, a Scottish registered charity based in East Lothian, has been working with industry to prevent spills; however, they rely on sharp-eyed volunteers to identify hotspots.
Project Manager of Fidra's Great Nurdle Hunt, Sarah Archer, said: “While large spills like this one are unusual,
Millions of nurdles washed up on Ayrshire beach
finding nurdles on beaches sadly is not – due to their small size they largely go unnoticed. Most nurdles are hidden amongst the debris of the high tideline. “We don’t yet have a full picture of the problem around Scotland, so all nurdle hunts are helpful – whether millions are found or none.”
For tips to help you hunt and to report your findings go to:
nurdlehunt.org.uk
©Deborah Fuchs
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44