🔗 Share this article

The water company is conducting an inquiry after millions of contaminated plastic beads were found on the shoreline at Camber, raising worries of a possible "ecological disaster".

The plastic pellets could have a dire impact on ocean creatures, according to a regional representative, with concerns that rare sea life, such as coastal birds, porpoises, and seals, might consume them and die.

A local official suspects the pellets may have been released from a local filtration facility and has sent a letter to the top official, demanding an explanation.

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

Volunteers have been working urgently to remove the pellets, collecting multiple sacks with the plastic waste, but the extent of the contamination event is immense, and it is unlikely they will be able to remove all of them.

A representative from a plastic pollution campaign group remarked recently, "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 sea; they will draw in microorganisms, they will smell like food, in essence."

"Once they’ve eaten it, there's no turning back: they cannot expel it. They will remain buoyant. It will create a slick which attracts diving coastal birds."

The expert continued that the removal work have been exhausting. "Recently, I was out there cleaning it up. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the sequence of events and the details for this devastating incident. It’s terrible."

"The pellets are minuscule that from a a distance, the beach looks normal. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are millions black pellets, hidden among marine plants. It’s an unachievable mission – helpers have been raking for days, 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 participated in the removal work, remarked, "The huge number of polymer pellets that have washed up here risks an ecological disaster. These biobeads are deadly to marine life and wildlife, and we are observing increased mortality among marine species on the beach."

"Local residents are working tirelessly to clear away as many beads as possible, but it’s a race against time. The water company must urgently establish if their local wastewater plants could be the origin of these biobeads, and I’ve asked them to commit every possible asset to supporting the clean-up operation in the meantime."

These pellets are additionally hazardous to dogs as they contain a significant amount of PAHs, which are recognized for carcinogenic properties, and they often contain harmful substances such as lead, metalloids, and chemical elements.

An official representative for Southern Water said, "We are working closely with the regulatory body and local council to look into the source of plastic beads which have washed up on Camber Beach. This investigation work is ongoing."

"The district council is overseeing removal of the beach, using trained personnel with a specialized machinery to remove the beads. We are additionally assisting with the removal process."

"We have performed environmental testing on the coast, which has revealed no effect to the aquatic environment. This data has been shared with the district council and the regulatory body."

The Environment Agency has been contacted for comment.