🔗 Share this article

Southern Water is conducting an inquiry after a vast number of contaminated plastic beads appeared on the shoreline at Camber, raising worries of a potential "environmental catastrophe".

These biobeads could have a dire impact on ocean creatures, as stated by a regional representative, with concerns that protected marine species, including coastal birds, small cetaceans, and marine mammals, might consume them and perish.

The area's representative believes the beads may have been spilled from a nearby water treatment centre and has written to the water company's chief executive, demanding an account.

This coastal area, situated in the southeastern region, is one of England’s most beloved beaches, known for unique sandy ecosystems and expansive areas of golden sand.

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

An expert from a environmental organization remarked recently, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever witnessed. It is contaminated plastic. Sea creatures will ingest small plastic items once they are in the sea; they will attract algae, they will smell like food, in essence."

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

The expert continued that the clean-up efforts have been draining. "Yesterday, I was on site 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 looks normal. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are millions dark beads, hidden among marine plants. It’s an impossible task – volunteers 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 encountered of a polluted beach."

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

"Local residents are laboring diligently to remove as many pellets as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. The water company must quickly determine if their nearby treatment facilities could be the source of these pellets, and I’ve asked them to dedicate all available resources to supporting the clean-up operation in the meantime."

The beads are additionally hazardous to dogs as they hold a significant amount of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are known to have cancer-causing traits, and they often contain harmful substances such as heavy metals, antimony, and chemical elements.

A spokesperson for the water company stated, "We are working closely with the regulatory body and district authorities to investigate the source of plastic beads which have washed up on the shoreline. This investigation work is ongoing."

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

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

Regulatory officials has been reached out to for a statement.