🔗 Share this article

Southern Water is currently investigating after a vast number of contaminated plastic beads were found on Camber Sands beach, sparking worries of a possible "environmental catastrophe".

The plastic pellets could cause severe harm on marine life, according to a regional representative, with concerns that protected marine species, including coastal birds, porpoises, and seals, might ingest them and perish.

The area's representative suspects the pellets may have been spilled from a nearby water treatment centre and has written to the top official, requesting an account.

Camber Sands, situated in East Sussex, is a highly popular shoreline, known for rare dune habitat and vast stretches of golden sand.

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

An expert from a plastic pollution campaign group remarked over the weekend, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever seen. It is contaminated plastic. Marine animals will ingest tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the ocean; they will attract algae, they will smell like food, effectively."

"Once they’ve eaten it, there's no turning back: they can’t get it out. They will float on the surface. It will form a layer which draws in plunging seabirds."

He added that the removal work have been draining. "Yesterday, I was out there removing the debris. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the sequence of events and the details for this devastating incident. It’s awful."

"The pellets are minuscule 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, nestled under seaweed. It’s an unachievable mission – helpers have been working tirelessly, 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 threatens an environmental catastrophe. These plastic items are lethal to ocean and land animals, and we are already seeing more dead seals, fish and porpoises on the coast."

"Local residents are working tirelessly to clear away as many pellets as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. The water company must urgently establish if their local wastewater plants could be the origin of these pellets, and I’ve requested to commit every possible asset to supporting the clean-up operation in the interim."

The beads are additionally hazardous to dogs as they contain a significant amount of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are recognized for carcinogenic properties, and they frequently include toxins including lead, metalloids, and chemical elements.

An official representative for Southern Water said, "We are working closely with the regulatory body and district authorities to look into the source of polymer pellets which have been deposited on the shoreline. This investigation work is ongoing."

"The district council is overseeing removal of the beach, using trained personnel with a specialized machinery to extract the pellets. We are also supporting with the removal process."

"We have performed environmental testing on the beach, which has revealed no effect to the aquatic environment. These results has been provided with the district council and the regulatory body."

The Environment Agency has been contacted for comment.