The ship is to be left to the mercy of the sea

The RMS Mulheim was carrying 2,200 tonnes of scrap car plastic when she ran onto rocks near Land's End, Cornwall on 22 March.

Hundreds of tonnes of the cargo, which was destined for a landfill site in Germany, escaped into the sea after the vessel ran aground.

A spokesman for the MCA said work to remove the remaining cargo from the stranded ship would be finished in around two weeks time.

I have asked .... why the Mulheim got so close to the shores before it issued a mayday Andrew George MP

Once the cargo has been cleared, the 1,846-tonne ship is to be left to the mercy of the sea.

However, Ruth Williams, marine conservation officer for the Cornwall Wildlife Trust, said escaped debris had been found on local beaches and in fishing nets.

She said: "Because the plastic can't break down, it is going to be in the marine environment for a long time to come."

West Cornwall Liberal Democrat MP Andrew George is to meet transport minister and Plymouth MP David Jamieson this week to discuss plans for dealing with the stricken vessel.

Mr George said: "I have asked the minister to speed up the inquiry into exactly why the Mulheim got so close to the shores before it issued a mayday.

"I have also asked about what assessments have been made about the toxicity of the waste and what plans he has to maintain the clean-up after the vessel has broken up."