🔗 Share this article

The water company is conducting an inquiry after millions of contaminated plastic beads appeared on the shoreline at Camber, raising fears of a potential "environmental catastrophe".

The plastic pellets could have a dire impact on marine life, according to a local MP, with apprehensions that protected marine species, such as seabirds, small cetaceans, and marine mammals, might ingest them and die.

A local official believes 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.

This coastal area, situated in the southeastern region, is one of England’s most beloved beaches, known for rare dune habitat and vast stretches of fine grains.

Local helpers have been racing against time to clear the pellets, filling dozens of bags with the synthetic debris, but the scale of the pollution spill is immense, and it is improbable they will be able to clear every piece.

A representative from a environmental organization remarked recently, "This is the worst pollution event I have ever seen. It is polluted polymer. Sea creatures will consume small plastic items 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 float on the surface. It will form a layer which draws in diving coastal birds."

He added that the removal work have been exhausting. "Yesterday, I was out there removing the debris. We are trying to really piece together the timeline and the details 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 black pellets, nestled under seaweed. It’s an impossible task – volunteers have been working tirelessly, and they will keep at it, but we cannot remove every pellet. It is the worst I have ever encountered of a contaminated shoreline."

The elected official, who participated in the removal work, remarked, "The immense quantity of polymer pellets that have appeared on this shore threatens an ecological disaster. These biobeads are deadly to ocean and land animals, and we are already seeing more dead seals, fish and porpoises on the coast."

"Community members are laboring diligently to remove as many pellets 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."

The beads are also dangerous to canines as they contain a significant amount of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are recognized for carcinogenic properties, and they frequently include harmful substances such as lead, antimony, and chemical elements.

An official representative for Southern Water stated, "We are working closely with the Environment Agency and local council to look into the source of polymer pellets which have washed up on the shoreline. The inquiry is ongoing."

"Local officials is overseeing removal of the beach, using specialists with a specialized machinery to remove the beads. We are additionally assisting with the clean-up."

"We’ve conducted water-quality sampling on the coast, which has shown no impact to environmental water quality. This data has been shared with the district council and the regulatory body."

The Environment Agency has been contacted for comment.