🔗 Share this article

Southern Water is conducting an inquiry after a vast number of polluted polymer pellets appeared on the shoreline at Camber, sparking fears of a possible "environmental catastrophe".

These biobeads could have a dire impact on ocean creatures, as stated by a local MP, with concerns that rare sea life, such as coastal birds, small cetaceans, and marine mammals, might ingest them and die.

A local official suspects the beads may have been released from a local filtration facility and has sent a letter to the water company's chief executive, demanding an account.

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

Local helpers have been racing against time to remove the pellets, filling multiple sacks with the synthetic debris, but the extent of the pollution spill is vast, and it is unlikely they will be able to clear every piece.

An expert from a plastic pollution campaign group remarked recently, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever seen. It is polluted polymer. 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."

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

The expert continued that the clean-up efforts have been draining. "Recently, I was out there removing the debris. We are trying to really piece together the sequence of events and the story for this horrendous event. It’s terrible."

"They are so small that from a a distance, the beach appears unaffected. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are millions dark beads, hidden among marine plants. It’s an impossible task – helpers have been raking for days, and they will continue to rake, but we cannot remove every pellet. It is the most severe I have ever seen of a polluted beach."

The elected official, who joined the clean-up efforts, 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 observing more dead seals, fish and porpoises on the coast."

"Community members are working tirelessly to clear away as many pellets as possible, but it’s a race against time. Southern Water must urgently establish if their local wastewater plants could be the origin of these pellets, and I’ve asked them to commit every possible asset to aiding the removal efforts in the meantime."

These pellets are additionally hazardous to dogs as they contain a high number of PAHs, which are recognized for carcinogenic properties, and they often contain toxins such as lead, metalloids, and bromine.

An official representative for Southern Water stated, "We are working closely with the Environment Agency and district authorities to investigate the source of plastic beads which have washed up on Camber Beach. This investigation work is ongoing."

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

"We’ve conducted environmental testing on the coast, which has shown no impact to the aquatic environment. This data has been provided with the local authorities and the regulatory body."

The Environment Agency has been reached out to for comment.