🔗 Share this article

Southern Water is currently investigating after millions of contaminated plastic beads were found on the shoreline at Camber, raising worries of a possible "environmental catastrophe".

The plastic pellets could cause severe harm on ocean creatures, as stated by a local MP, with concerns that protected marine species, such as coastal birds, small cetaceans, and seals, might ingest them and perish.

The area's representative believes the pellets may have been released from a nearby water treatment centre and has written to the water company's chief executive, demanding an explanation.

This coastal area, located in the southeastern region, is a highly popular shoreline, known for unique sandy ecosystems and vast stretches of fine grains.

Volunteers have been working urgently to clear the beads, collecting dozens of bags with the plastic waste, but the scale of the pollution spill is vast, and it is improbable they will be able to clear every piece.

An expert from a plastic pollution campaign group commented over the weekend, "This is the worst pollution event I have ever seen. It is polluted polymer. Sea creatures will consume small plastic items once they are in the sea; they will attract algae, they will appear edible, in essence."

"After ingestion, there's no turning back: they cannot expel it. They will remain buoyant. It will form a layer which attracts plunging seabirds."

He added that the clean-up efforts have been draining. "Recently, I was on site removing the debris. 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 a distance, the shoreline appears unaffected. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are countless black pellets, nestled under seaweed. It’s an unachievable mission – helpers 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 worst I have ever seen of a polluted beach."

The local MP, who joined the clean-up efforts, remarked, "The immense quantity of plastic beads that have washed up here risks an ecological disaster. These biobeads are lethal to marine life and wildlife, and we are observing more dead seals, fish and porpoises on the coast."

"Community members are working tirelessly to remove as many pellets as possible, but it’s a race against time. 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 aiding the removal efforts in the meantime."

These pellets are additionally hazardous to dogs as they contain a high number of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are recognized for cancer-causing traits, and they often contain toxins such as lead, metalloids, and chemical elements.

A spokesperson for the water company said, "We are working closely with the regulatory body and local council to investigate the cause of polymer pellets which have washed up on Camber Beach. The inquiry is ongoing."

"Local officials is overseeing removal of the beach, using trained personnel with a vehicle with suction equipment to extract the pellets. We are also supporting with the removal process."

"We have performed environmental testing on the coast, which has shown no impact to environmental water quality. This data has been shared with the local authorities and the regulatory body."

The Environment Agency has been contacted for a statement.