🔗 Share this article

Southern Water is conducting an inquiry after millions of contaminated plastic beads appeared on Camber Sands beach, sparking fears of a possible "ecological disaster".

The plastic pellets could have a dire impact on marine life, according to a local MP, with apprehensions that rare sea life, including seabirds, small cetaceans, and seals, might consume them and die.

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

This coastal area, situated in East Sussex, is a highly popular shoreline, known for rare dune habitat and expansive areas of fine grains.

Local helpers have been working urgently to clear the pellets, filling dozens of bags with the plastic waste, but the scale of the pollution spill is immense, and it is improbable they will be able to clear every piece.

A representative from a plastic pollution campaign group commented over the weekend, "This is the worst pollution event I have ever seen. 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, 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 attracts plunging seabirds."

He added that the removal work have been draining. "Yesterday, I was on site cleaning it up. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the timeline and the details for this horrendous event. It’s awful."

"They are so small that from a a distance, the shoreline looks normal. But as soon as you get close up, you see there are millions dark beads, hidden among marine plants. It’s an unachievable mission – volunteers have been raking for days, and they will continue to rake, but we cannot remove every pellet. It is the most severe I have ever seen of a polluted beach."

The elected official, who joined the clean-up efforts, stated, "The huge number of polymer pellets that have washed up here threatens an environmental catastrophe. These plastic items are deadly to ocean and land animals, and we are observing increased mortality among marine species on the beach."

"Local residents are working tirelessly to clear away as many pellets as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. The water company must quickly determine if their nearby treatment facilities could be the origin of these biobeads, and I’ve asked them to dedicate all available resources to supporting the clean-up operation in the interim."

The beads are also dangerous to dogs as they contain a high number of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are known to have carcinogenic properties, and they frequently include toxins such as heavy metals, antimony, and bromine.

An official representative for the water company said, "We are collaborating with the regulatory body and local council to look into the cause of polymer pellets which have washed up on the shoreline. The inquiry is ongoing."

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

"We’ve conducted water-quality sampling on the beach, which has shown no impact to environmental water quality. These results has been shared with the district council and the regulatory body."

The Environment Agency has been contacted for comment.