🔗 Share this article

The water company is conducting an inquiry after a vast number of contaminated plastic beads appeared on the shoreline at Camber, raising worries of a possible "environmental catastrophe".

These biobeads could cause severe harm on ocean creatures, according to a regional representative, with apprehensions that protected marine species, including coastal birds, small cetaceans, and seals, might ingest them and perish.

A local official believes the beads may have been released from a nearby water treatment centre and has written to the water company's chief executive, demanding an account.

Camber Sands, located in East Sussex, is one of England’s most beloved beaches, known for rare dune habitat and vast stretches of fine grains.

Volunteers have been working urgently to remove the beads, collecting multiple sacks with the synthetic debris, but the scale of the contamination event is vast, and it is unlikely they will be able to clear every piece.

A representative from a environmental organization remarked recently, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever witnessed. It is contaminated plastic. Sea creatures will consume tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the sea; they will draw in microorganisms, they will smell like food, in essence."

"After ingestion, that’s it: they cannot expel it. They will float on the surface. It will form a layer which draws in plunging seabirds."

The expert continued that the removal work have been exhausting. "Recently, I was out there cleaning it up. 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 approach closely, you see there are countless dark beads, hidden among marine plants. 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 most severe I have ever seen of a contaminated shoreline."

The local MP, who participated in the removal work, stated, "The huge number of plastic beads that have appeared on this shore risks an ecological disaster. These biobeads are lethal to ocean and land animals, and we are observing more dead seals, fish and porpoises on the beach."

"Community members are working tirelessly to remove as many beads as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. Southern Water must urgently establish if their nearby treatment facilities could be the origin of these pellets, and I’ve requested to dedicate all available resources to supporting the clean-up operation in the meantime."

These pellets are additionally hazardous to canines as they hold a high number of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are known to have cancer-causing traits, and they often contain harmful substances including lead, antimony, and chemical elements.

An official representative for the water company stated, "We are working closely with the regulatory body and district authorities to look into the source of plastic beads which have washed up on the shoreline. This investigation work is still in progress."

"Local officials is overseeing removal of the shore, using specialists with a specialized machinery to extract the beads. We are additionally assisting with the removal process."

"We’ve conducted environmental testing on the beach, which has shown no impact to the aquatic environment. This data has been shared with the local authorities and the Environment Agency."

The Environment Agency has been reached out to for a statement.