🔗 Share this article

Southern Water is conducting an inquiry after a vast number of polluted polymer pellets appeared on the shoreline at Camber, raising fears of a possible "ecological disaster".

The plastic pellets could cause severe harm on ocean creatures, according to a regional representative, with apprehensions that protected marine species, such as seabirds, small cetaceans, and seals, might ingest them and perish.

The area's representative believes the pellets may have been spilled from a nearby water treatment centre and has written to the top official, demanding an explanation.

This coastal area, situated in East Sussex, is one of England’s most beloved beaches, known for rare dune habitat and expansive areas of fine grains.

Volunteers have been racing against time to clear the beads, collecting multiple sacks with the plastic waste, but the scale of the contamination event is immense, and it is unlikely they will be able to clear every piece.

A representative from a environmental organization commented 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 ocean; they will draw in microorganisms, they will appear edible, in essence."

"Once they’ve eaten it, that’s it: they cannot expel it. They will remain buoyant. It will form a layer which attracts plunging seabirds."

He added that the removal work have been exhausting. "Yesterday, I was on site removing the debris. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the sequence of events and the story for this devastating incident. It’s awful."

"The pellets are minuscule that from a a distance, the shoreline looks normal. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are millions black pellets, hidden among marine plants. It’s an impossible task – volunteers have been working tirelessly, and they will continue to rake, but we cannot remove every pellet. It is the worst I have ever seen of a polluted beach."

The local MP, who joined the clean-up efforts, remarked, "The immense quantity of polymer pellets that have appeared on this shore risks an environmental catastrophe. These plastic items are lethal to marine life and wildlife, and we are already seeing increased mortality among marine species on the coast."

"Local residents are laboring diligently to clear away as many pellets as possible, but it’s a race against time. The water company must urgently establish if their nearby treatment facilities could be the source of these biobeads, and I’ve asked them to dedicate all available resources to supporting the clean-up operation in the interim."

The beads are also dangerous to canines as they hold a high number of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are recognized for cancer-causing traits, and they frequently include toxins including lead, metalloids, and bromine.

A spokesperson for Southern Water stated, "We are working closely with the Environment Agency and district authorities to look into the cause of plastic beads which have been deposited on the shoreline. This investigation work is still in progress."

"The district council is overseeing removal of the beach, using trained personnel with a specialized machinery to remove the beads. We are additionally assisting with the removal process."

"We have performed water-quality sampling on the coast, which has shown no impact to the aquatic environment. This data has been provided with the district council and the regulatory body."

Regulatory officials has been reached out to for a statement.