🔗 Share this article

Southern Water is currently investigating after a vast number of polluted polymer pellets were found on Camber Sands beach, raising fears of a potential "environmental catastrophe".

These biobeads could have a dire impact on ocean creatures, as stated by a local MP, with concerns that rare sea life, including seabirds, porpoises, and marine mammals, might ingest them and perish.

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

This coastal area, situated in the southeastern region, is one of England’s most beloved beaches, featuring unique sandy ecosystems and expansive areas of golden sand.

Volunteers have been working urgently to clear the beads, 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 recently, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever seen. It is polluted polymer. Sea creatures will consume small plastic items once they are in the sea; they will draw in microorganisms, they will smell like food, in essence."

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

He added that the removal work have been draining. "Recently, I was on site removing the debris. We are trying to really piece together the timeline and the story for this devastating incident. It’s terrible."

"The pellets are minuscule that from a very long way off, the shoreline appears unaffected. But as soon as you get close up, you see there are countless dark beads, hidden among marine plants. It’s an impossible task – volunteers have been raking for days, and they will continue to rake, but we won’t be able to get rid of them all. It is the most severe I have ever seen 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 environmental catastrophe. These biobeads are deadly to marine life and wildlife, and we are already seeing more dead seals, fish and porpoises on the coast."

"Community members are laboring diligently to remove as many beads as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. Southern Water must quickly determine if their nearby treatment facilities could be the origin of these biobeads, and I’ve requested to commit every possible asset to aiding the removal efforts in the meantime."

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

A spokesperson for the water company stated, "We are collaborating with the regulatory body and district authorities to look into the source of polymer pellets which have washed up on Camber Beach. This investigation work is ongoing."

"The district council is leading the clean-up of the shore, using trained personnel with a vehicle with suction equipment to extract the beads. We are additionally assisting with the clean-up."

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

The Environment Agency has been reached out to for comment.