🔗 Share this article

Southern Water is conducting an inquiry after millions of contaminated plastic beads were found 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 protected marine species, such as coastal birds, porpoises, and seals, might ingest them and perish.

A local official believes the beads may have been released from a nearby water treatment centre and has written to the top official, requesting an account.

This coastal area, situated in the southeastern region, is a highly popular shoreline, known for unique sandy ecosystems and expansive areas of fine grains.

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

A representative from a environmental organization commented over the weekend, "This is the worst pollution event I have ever seen. It is contaminated plastic. Sea creatures will ingest tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the ocean; they will attract algae, they will appear edible, effectively."

"After ingestion, there's no turning back: they cannot expel it. They will float on the surface. It will create a slick which attracts diving coastal birds."

He added that the clean-up efforts have been draining. "Recently, I was on site removing the debris. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the timeline and the details for this devastating incident. It’s terrible."

"They are so small that from a very long way off, the beach looks normal. But as soon as you get close up, you see there are millions black pellets, nestled under seaweed. It’s an impossible task – volunteers have been working tirelessly, and they will continue to rake, but we cannot remove every pellet. It is the most severe I have ever seen of a contaminated shoreline."

The elected official, who participated in the clean-up efforts, stated, "The immense quantity of plastic beads that have appeared on this shore risks an environmental catastrophe. These plastic items are deadly to ocean and land animals, and we are observing increased mortality among marine species on the coast."

"Local residents are working tirelessly to clear away as many beads as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. The water company must quickly determine if their local wastewater plants could be the source of these biobeads, and I’ve requested to dedicate all available resources to supporting the clean-up operation in the meantime."

The beads are also dangerous to dogs as they contain a high number of PAHs, which are recognized for cancer-causing traits, and they frequently include harmful substances including heavy metals, antimony, and bromine.

A spokesperson for Southern Water stated, "We are working closely with the regulatory body and district authorities to investigate the cause of polymer pellets which have been deposited on the shoreline. The inquiry is ongoing."

"Local officials is overseeing removal of the beach, using specialists with a vehicle with suction equipment to extract the pellets. We are additionally assisting with the removal process."

"We have performed environmental testing on the beach, which has revealed no effect to environmental water quality. This data has been provided with the district council and the Environment Agency."

Regulatory officials has been contacted for a statement.