🔗 Share this article

Southern Water is currently investigating after a vast number of contaminated plastic beads appeared on the shoreline at Camber, sparking fears of a potential "environmental catastrophe".

The plastic pellets could cause severe harm on marine life, according to a regional representative, with concerns that protected marine species, such as seabirds, small cetaceans, and seals, might ingest them and die.

A local official suspects the beads may have been spilled from a nearby water treatment centre and has sent a letter to the water company's chief executive, requesting an explanation.

Camber Sands, situated in East Sussex, is one of England’s most beloved beaches, known for unique sandy ecosystems and expansive areas of fine grains.

Volunteers have been working urgently to clear the pellets, collecting dozens of bags with the synthetic debris, but the scale of the contamination event is vast, and it is unlikely they will be able to clear every piece.

An expert from a plastic pollution campaign group commented recently, "This is the worst pollution event I have ever witnessed. It is polluted polymer. Marine animals will ingest small plastic items once they are in the sea; they will attract algae, they will appear edible, in essence."

"Once they’ve eaten it, that’s it: they can’t get it out. They will float on the surface. It will create a slick which draws in plunging seabirds."

He added that the clean-up efforts have been exhausting. "Yesterday, I was on site cleaning it up. We are trying to really piece together the timeline and the details for this horrendous event. It’s terrible."

"They are so small that from a a distance, the shoreline appears unaffected. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are countless dark beads, nestled under seaweed. It’s an impossible task – helpers have been raking for days, and they will keep at it, but we cannot remove every pellet. It is the worst I have ever seen of a contaminated shoreline."

The elected official, who joined the clean-up efforts, stated, "The immense quantity of polymer pellets that have washed up here risks an ecological disaster. These biobeads are deadly to marine life and wildlife, and we are observing increased mortality among marine species on the coast."

"Local residents are working tirelessly to remove as many beads as possible, but it’s a race against time. Southern Water must quickly determine if their local wastewater plants could be the source of these pellets, and I’ve requested to dedicate all available resources to aiding the removal efforts in the meantime."

The beads are additionally hazardous to dogs as they contain a significant amount of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are recognized for carcinogenic properties, and they frequently include harmful substances such as heavy metals, antimony, and bromine.

A spokesperson for Southern Water said, "We are working closely with the Environment Agency and district authorities to investigate the cause of polymer pellets which have washed up on Camber Beach. The inquiry is still in progress."

"The district council is overseeing removal of the shore, using trained personnel with a vehicle with suction equipment to remove the pellets. We are additionally assisting with the clean-up."

"We have performed environmental testing on the coast, which has shown no impact to the aquatic environment. This data has been provided with the district council and the Environment Agency."

Regulatory officials has been reached out to for a statement.