Sri Lanka’s toxic beaches – level 2
04-08-2025 07:00
Sri Lanka has a big problem along its coast. Plastic pellets, oil, and chemicals are washing up on beaches. The pollution is coming from a ship called the MSC Elsa 3 that sank in May.
The plastic pieces are called nurdles, and they are very small. Animals can eat them by mistake. People who fish in the sea are worried because fish and sea life could die. Many workers are cleaning up the beaches, but it is not enough. Experts say Sri Lanka must improve laws and tools to stop this from happening again.
This event reminds people of a disaster in 2021 when another ship caught fire near the coast. The court ordered the owners to pay a lot of money for the damage. Now, people want the same action for this new case. Sri Lanka must protect the sea and stop more damage.
Difficult words: pellet (a small, round or oval piece of something, often used in groups), pollution (dirty or harmful things in nature), disaster (a very bad event).
You can watch the original video in the Level 3 section.
What improvements do experts urge Sri Lanka to make to avoid future incidents like the MSC Elsa 3 spill?
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