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Plastic and chemical fallout of X-Press Pearl disaster continues

The Island

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June 05, 2025

June 2, 2025, marks four years since the sinking of the MV X-Press Pearl, the largest chemical maritime disaster in history.

- BY IFHAM NIZAM

The ship’s blazing inferno and subsequent submersion, off the coast of Colombo, released an unprecedented volume of pollutants, including hazardous chemicals and millions of plastic pellets—known as nurdles—into the Indian Ocean.

Environmental groups, led by the Centre for Environmental Justice (CEJ), filed a landmark lawsuit, just four days after the disaster began, demanding accountability and reparations for the environmental destruction. Several others followed suit, leading to a consolidated legal battle in the Supreme Court. The final round of oral arguments concluded on May 29, 2025, setting the stage for a much-awaited verdict in the coming weeks.

Yet many observers, including environmental activists, remain skeptical about whether the ruling will reflect the true scale of ecological devastation.

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