When we visit a beach, we usually notice the waves, the sand and everything that makes the place special. But what about the tiny pieces of waste we can barely see? On May 16, members of A Rocha Peru and the Kamaykuna Network gathered on the beaches of Huanchaco and Huanchaquito in Trujillo to focus on this problem through a microplastics search and cleanup campaign.
Early in the morning, participants collected waste and identified small plastic particles called “nurdles” in the sand. Finding them requires a careful eye, as they are not always easy to distinguish when mixed with other debris. Yet they are also part of the pollution reaching our beaches.
The activity offered an opportunity to observe the problem firsthand and discuss its possible effects on marine ecosystems and biodiversity. Seeing these fragments in the sand helps us understand that plastic pollution can remain in the environment even after more visible waste has been removed. That is why the cleanup and microplastic survey complemented one another during the campaign.
The day also raised a question that concerns us all: what can we do to prevent more plastic from ending up in the sea? Reducing the waste we produce, disposing of it properly and helping care for natural spaces are ways to begin. Sharing this experience also helps others recognise a problem that often goes unnoticed.
For A Rocha Peru and the Kamaykuna Network, gathering in Huanchaco and Huanchaquito was a way to combine action with learning. The campaign provided time to clean both beaches while also seeing the sand in a new light. It is important to remember that protecting the ocean also begins by paying attention to what we can barely see. If you’d like to learn more about this topic, you can find additional information on the Great Nurdle Hunt website.
