Plastic pellets, like those pictured above, have been found washed up ashore on beaches in north-east England. Image: ShutterstockOne billion plastic pellets entered the River Tyne after a boat collision last month. Two shipping containers were damaged in the collision, releasing vast quantities of plastic pellets that the Tyne River Trust fears could be in the River Tyne ‘for years to come’. Check out our related reads…The Tyne River Trust said that fishermen have already discovered fish with plastic pellets inside their bodies. Ingesting plastic pellets can be fatal for seabirds, as well as other species such as fish, seals, and dolphins.