🔗 Share this article

Southern Water is conducting an inquiry after millions of contaminated plastic beads were found on the shoreline at Camber, raising worries of a possible "ecological disaster".

These biobeads could cause severe harm on ocean creatures, as stated by a local MP, with concerns that rare sea life, such as seabirds, porpoises, and seals, might consume them and die.

A local official believes the pellets may have been spilled from a local filtration facility and has sent a letter to the top official, demanding an explanation.

This coastal area, located in East Sussex, is a highly popular shoreline, known for rare dune habitat and expansive areas of golden sand.

Local helpers have been racing against time to clear the pellets, collecting multiple sacks with the plastic waste, but the scale of the contamination event is immense, and it is improbable they will be able to remove all of them.

An expert from a plastic pollution campaign group commented over the weekend, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever seen. It is polluted polymer. Marine animals will ingest tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the sea; they will attract algae, they will smell like food, effectively."

"After ingestion, that’s it: they can’t get it out. They will remain buoyant. It will form a layer which draws in diving coastal birds."

He added that the removal work have been exhausting. "Yesterday, I was out there removing the debris. We are trying to really piece together the timeline and the details for this horrendous event. It’s awful."

"The pellets are minuscule that from a very long way off, the beach looks normal. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are countless black pellets, hidden among marine plants. It’s an impossible task – volunteers have been raking for days, and they will keep at it, but we cannot remove every pellet. It is the worst I have ever encountered of a polluted beach."

The local MP, who participated in the clean-up efforts, stated, "The immense quantity of plastic beads that have washed up here risks an environmental catastrophe. These biobeads are deadly to marine life and wildlife, and we are observing more dead seals, fish and porpoises on the beach."

"Local residents are working tirelessly to remove as many beads as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. Southern Water must urgently establish if their nearby treatment facilities could be the source of these pellets, and I’ve asked them to dedicate all available resources to supporting the clean-up operation in the interim."

These pellets are additionally hazardous to canines as they contain a high number of PAHs, which are recognized for carcinogenic properties, and they often contain harmful substances such as heavy metals, metalloids, and chemical elements.

A spokesperson for the water company stated, "We are collaborating with the Environment Agency and district authorities to look into the source of polymer pellets which have washed up on the shoreline. The inquiry is still in progress."

"The district council is leading the clean-up of the beach, using specialists with a vehicle with suction equipment to remove the pellets. We are also supporting with the clean-up."

"We have performed water-quality sampling on the coast, which has revealed no effect to environmental water quality. These results has been shared with the local authorities and the Environment Agency."

Regulatory officials has been reached out to for comment.