🔗 Share this article

The water company is currently investigating after a vast number of polluted polymer pellets were found on Camber Sands beach, sparking worries of a potential "ecological disaster".

The plastic pellets could have a dire impact on marine life, as stated by a local MP, with apprehensions that rare sea life, such as coastal birds, small cetaceans, and marine mammals, might ingest them and perish.

The area's representative believes the pellets may have been spilled from a nearby water treatment centre and has sent a letter to the top official, requesting an account.

Camber Sands, located in East Sussex, is one of England’s most beloved beaches, known for unique sandy ecosystems and expansive areas of fine grains.

Local helpers have been racing against time to remove the pellets, filling dozens of bags with the synthetic debris, but the extent of the contamination event is vast, and it is improbable they will be able to clear every piece.

An expert from a plastic pollution campaign group commented over the weekend, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever witnessed. It is polluted polymer. Marine animals will ingest small plastic items once they are in the ocean; they will attract algae, they will appear edible, effectively."

"After ingestion, that’s it: they cannot expel it. They will float on the surface. It will create a slick which attracts diving coastal birds."

The expert continued that the removal work have been exhausting. "Yesterday, I was out there removing the debris. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the timeline and the story for this devastating incident. It’s terrible."

"They are so small that from a a distance, the shoreline 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 continue to rake, but we won’t be able to get rid of them all. It is the worst I have ever seen of a contaminated shoreline."

The local MP, who joined the removal work, stated, "The immense quantity of plastic beads that have appeared on this shore threatens an ecological disaster. These plastic items are lethal to marine life and wildlife, and we are observing more dead seals, fish and porpoises on the beach."

"Local residents are working tirelessly to clear away as many beads as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. The water company must quickly determine if their local wastewater plants could be the source of these biobeads, and I’ve requested to commit every possible asset to aiding the removal efforts in the interim."

These pellets are also dangerous to dogs as they hold a significant amount of PAHs, which are known to have carcinogenic properties, and they often contain toxins such as heavy metals, metalloids, and bromine.

An official representative for Southern Water stated, "We are collaborating with the regulatory body and district authorities to look into the cause of polymer pellets which have washed up on the shoreline. This investigation work is still in progress."

"The district council is overseeing removal of the beach, using trained personnel with a vehicle with suction equipment to remove the pellets. We are also supporting with the removal process."

"We’ve conducted environmental testing on the beach, which has shown no impact to the aquatic environment. These results has been shared with the local authorities and the regulatory body."

The Environment Agency has been contacted for comment.