Gauging the Effectiveness and Translatability of Oil Spill Response Technologies to Plastic Pellet Spills

Marko Jugo, Christopher Reddy, Bryan James, Tarzan Legović

Plastic pellet spills are a growing environmental concern, yet response strategies remain limited and poorly adapted. This study evaluates whether existing oil spill recovery tools, including booms, skimmers, and specialized vessels, can be repurposed to respond to acute releases of plastic pellets. Plastic pellets, while small (typically 1–5 mm in diameter), are characterized by complex physical properties including varied polymer types, sizes, shapes, colors, and especially densities. These features strongly influence dispersion dynamics and cleanup feasibility. Our analysis reveals critical limitations in current response technologies, primarily due to their oil-centric design and lack of consideration for the unique behavior of plastic pellets. By bridging oil spill expertise with emerging plastic threats, we outline opportunities for adaptive, cross-sector response strategies tailored to the realities of plastic pellet spills. This study includes field demonstrations in the northern Adriatic, where oil-spill skimmers and booms were successfully tested for plastic pellet recovery under real-world marine conditions.