🔗 Share this article

Southern Water is currently investigating after a vast number of contaminated plastic beads were found on Camber Sands beach, sparking worries of a possible "environmental catastrophe".

These biobeads could cause severe harm on marine life, according to a local MP, with apprehensions that rare sea life, including coastal birds, porpoises, and seals, might consume them and perish.

A local official believes the beads may have been spilled from a local filtration facility and has sent a letter to the water company's chief executive, demanding an account.

This coastal area, located in East Sussex, is a highly popular shoreline, featuring rare dune habitat and vast stretches of golden sand.

Volunteers have been racing against time to clear the beads, filling multiple sacks with the plastic waste, but the scale of the pollution spill is immense, and it is unlikely they will be able to remove all of them.

A representative from a plastic pollution campaign group remarked over the weekend, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever witnessed. It is contaminated plastic. Sea creatures will consume tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the ocean; they will draw in microorganisms, they will appear edible, effectively."

"After ingestion, there's no turning back: they can’t get it out. They will remain buoyant. It will create a slick which draws in diving coastal birds."

The expert continued that the removal work have been exhausting. "Recently, I was out there cleaning it up. We are trying to really piece together the sequence of events and the story for this horrendous event. It’s awful."

"The pellets are minuscule that from a very long way off, the shoreline looks normal. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are countless black pellets, nestled under seaweed. It’s an impossible task – volunteers have been raking for days, and they will keep at it, but we won’t be able to get rid of them all. It is the worst I have ever encountered of a contaminated shoreline."

The local MP, who participated in the removal work, stated, "The huge number of plastic beads that have washed up here threatens an ecological disaster. These biobeads are deadly to ocean and land animals, and we are observing more dead seals, fish and porpoises on the coast."

"Community members are laboring diligently to remove as many pellets as possible, but it’s a race against time. Southern Water must quickly determine if their nearby treatment facilities could be the origin of these biobeads, and I’ve asked them to commit every possible asset to supporting the clean-up operation in the interim."

These pellets are also dangerous to canines as they contain a high number of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are known to have carcinogenic properties, and they often contain toxins such as lead, antimony, and bromine.

A spokesperson for the water company stated, "We are working closely with the Environment Agency and local council to look into the source of polymer pellets which have been deposited on Camber Beach. The inquiry is still in progress."

"Local officials is overseeing removal of the shore, using specialists with a vehicle with suction equipment to remove the pellets. We are additionally assisting with the clean-up."

"We’ve conducted environmental testing on the coast, which has revealed no effect to the aquatic environment. These results has been provided with the local authorities and the Environment Agency."

Regulatory officials has been contacted for comment.