🔗 Share this article

Southern Water is currently investigating after millions of contaminated plastic beads appeared on the shoreline at Camber, sparking fears of a potential "ecological disaster".

The plastic pellets could have a dire impact on ocean creatures, according to a local MP, with concerns that protected marine species, including seabirds, small cetaceans, and marine mammals, might consume them and perish.

The area's representative suspects the pellets 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, featuring unique sandy ecosystems and vast stretches of fine grains.

Volunteers have been racing against time to clear the pellets, filling multiple sacks with the synthetic debris, but the scale of the contamination event is vast, and it is improbable 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 witnessed. It is polluted polymer. Sea creatures will consume tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the ocean; they will draw in microorganisms, they will smell like food, in essence."

"After ingestion, there's no turning back: they can’t get it out. They will remain buoyant. It will create a slick which draws in plunging seabirds."

The expert continued that the clean-up efforts have been draining. "Yesterday, I was out there removing the debris. We are trying to really piece together the timeline and the story for this devastating incident. It’s terrible."

"They are so small that from a very long way off, the beach appears unaffected. But as soon as you get close up, you see there are countless black pellets, nestled under seaweed. It’s an impossible task – helpers have been raking for days, and they will keep at it, but we cannot remove every pellet. It is the worst I have ever seen of a polluted beach."

The local MP, who joined the removal work, stated, "The immense quantity of polymer pellets that have appeared on this shore risks an environmental catastrophe. These biobeads are lethal to marine life and wildlife, and we are observing increased mortality among marine species on the coast."

"Community members are working tirelessly to remove as many beads 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 commit every possible asset to aiding the removal efforts in the interim."

These pellets are also dangerous to canines as they hold a high number of PAHs, which are known to have cancer-causing traits, and they frequently include toxins such as heavy metals, metalloids, and bromine.

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

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

"We’ve conducted environmental testing on the beach, which has shown no impact to environmental water quality. These results has been provided with the district council and the Environment Agency."

The Environment Agency has been contacted for comment.