🔗 Share this article

Southern Water is currently investigating after millions of polluted polymer pellets were found on Camber Sands beach, sparking worries of a possible "ecological disaster".

The plastic pellets could have a dire impact on ocean creatures, as stated by a local MP, with apprehensions that rare sea life, such as coastal birds, porpoises, and marine mammals, might consume them and die.

The area's representative suspects the beads may have been released from a nearby water treatment centre and has sent a letter to the water company's chief executive, demanding an explanation.

This coastal area, located in the southeastern region, is a highly popular shoreline, featuring rare dune habitat and expansive areas of golden sand.

Volunteers have been working urgently to remove the pellets, 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 remove all of them.

An expert from a environmental organization remarked recently, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever seen. It is polluted polymer. Sea creatures will ingest small plastic items 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 create a slick which attracts plunging seabirds."

The expert continued that the clean-up efforts have been exhausting. "Recently, I was out there removing the debris. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the timeline and the story for this devastating incident. It’s awful."

"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 dark beads, hidden among marine plants. It’s an impossible task – volunteers have been raking for days, 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 contaminated shoreline."

The elected official, who participated in the clean-up efforts, stated, "The huge number of plastic beads that have appeared on this shore threatens an environmental catastrophe. These plastic items are lethal to ocean and land animals, and we are already seeing more dead seals, fish and porpoises on the coast."

"Community members are working tirelessly to remove as many pellets as possible, but it’s a race against time. Southern Water must urgently establish if their local wastewater plants could be the origin of these biobeads, and I’ve requested to dedicate all available resources to aiding the removal efforts in the interim."

The beads are additionally hazardous to canines as they contain a significant amount of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are known to have cancer-causing traits, and they frequently include toxins including lead, metalloids, and bromine.

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 polymer pellets which have been deposited on the shoreline. The inquiry is still in progress."

"The district council is leading the clean-up of the beach, using trained personnel with a vehicle with suction equipment to remove the pellets. We are additionally assisting with the clean-up."

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

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