🔗 Share this article

Southern Water is currently investigating after millions of polluted polymer pellets appeared on Camber Sands beach, sparking worries of a possible "ecological disaster".

These biobeads could have a dire impact on marine life, according to a local MP, with apprehensions that protected marine species, including coastal birds, porpoises, and seals, might consume them and die.

The area's representative believes the beads may have been released from a local filtration facility and has sent a letter to the top official, requesting an account.

This coastal area, located in the southeastern region, is one of England’s most beloved beaches, known for rare dune habitat and vast stretches of golden sand.

Volunteers have been racing against time to clear the beads, collecting multiple sacks with the plastic waste, but the extent of the contamination event is vast, and it is improbable they will be able to clear every piece.

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 polluted polymer. Marine animals will ingest tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the sea; they will attract algae, they will smell like food, 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 diving coastal birds."

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

"They are so small that from a very long way off, the shoreline appears unaffected. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are countless black pellets, hidden among marine plants. It’s an impossible task – volunteers have been working tirelessly, and they will keep at it, but we won’t be able to get rid of them all. It is the most severe I have ever encountered of a contaminated shoreline."

The elected official, who joined the clean-up efforts, stated, "The huge number of plastic beads that have washed up here threatens an ecological disaster. These plastic items are lethal to marine life and wildlife, and we are observing more dead seals, fish and porpoises on the beach."

"Community members are laboring diligently 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 commit every possible asset to aiding the removal efforts in the meantime."

The beads are also dangerous to canines as they hold a significant amount of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are recognized for cancer-causing traits, and they frequently include toxins such as lead, antimony, 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 plastic beads which have washed up on Camber Beach. This investigation work is still in progress."

"The district council is leading the clean-up of the shore, using trained personnel with a specialized machinery to remove the pellets. We are also supporting with the removal process."

"We have performed water-quality sampling on the coast, which has revealed no effect to environmental water quality. This data has been shared with the district council and the regulatory body."

Regulatory officials has been reached out to for a statement.