An environmentalist says over a million polystyrene microbeads have polluted a beach in South Kerry.
Vincent Hyland of the Wild Derrynane group says the microbeads on Derrynane beach came from a buoy that struck rocks.
Vincent Hyland says volunteers have been cleaning Derrynane beach since the middle of June, spending 100 hours in the clean-up effort.
Such pollution puts marine life at risk, as seabirds and other marine animals eat these beads, mistaking them for plankton:
Mr Hyland fears some of these polystyrene microbeads may remain there for years:
Kerry County Council says it was alerted to the issue on June 15th and attended on site.
It says it contacted the owners of the buoy, who co-operated and helped with the clean-up, along with volunteers.
The council says it’s raised concerns generally about the use of Styrofoam beads in buoys with the Department of the Marine.
