Tumble Science Podcast for Kids · Tumble Media

The Plastic Pollution Patrol

June 6, 2025·20 min·1 clip

Jace started a Facebook group for Nurdle Patrol, and it exploded to 300 volunteers across the country in just two weeks.

This episode of Tumble Science Podcast for Kids features hosts Lindsay and Marshall exploring citizen science efforts to combat plastic pollution. They interview environmental scientist Jace Tunnell, founder of Nurdle Patrol, who lives on the Texas Gulf Coast. Tunnell has spent eight years combing beaches for trash, finding items like messages in bottles, bowling balls, and a prosthetic leg. The episode focuses on "nurdles," tiny plastic pellets that serve as raw material for manufacturing nearly all plastic products. Tunnell first identified a major nurdle spill on his beach in September 2018, discovering thousands of lentil-sized pellets at the high tide line. He learned about nurdles from a prior presentation where they were described as easily mistaken for natural items like seeds or fish eggs. After government agencies stated they could not clean the spill, Tunnell launched a citizen survey project called Nurdle Patrol to map nurdle locations. His initial Facebook group gained over 300 volunteers across the U.S. within two weeks. The project has since grown to include over 25,000 participants who have completed more than 5,000 ten-minute surveys nationwide. A surprising insight is that nurdles, which originate from fossil fuels, are considered microplastics and can spill during transport like grains of rice. These pellets are harmful because wildlife often mistakes them for food, and their chemicals can leach into water. Tunnell's long-term goal is for surveys to eventually find zero nurdles in areas that once had hundreds. The episode reveals that Marshall is secretly a Nurdle Patrol agent and has collaborated with "Chief Jace" on a special training course. Listeners are invited to become agents themselves by completing a free audio course to learn how to identify and track nurdles in their local environments. The tone is educational and playful, blending a narrative interview with humorous, secret-agent-themed segments. The style is conversational and interactive, directly engaging its young audience with calls to action. This episode is ideal for children and families interested in environmental science, hands-on projects, or learning how everyday citizens contribute to research. Listeners seeking a purely factual documentary or those uninterested in plastic pollution might find the playful framing less appealing.

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