🔗 Share this article

The water company is currently investigating after a vast number of polluted polymer pellets appeared on the shoreline at Camber, sparking fears of a potential "environmental catastrophe".

These biobeads could cause severe harm on ocean creatures, as stated by a regional representative, with concerns that rare sea life, such as coastal birds, small cetaceans, and seals, might consume them and die.

A local official suspects the beads may have been spilled from a nearby water treatment centre and has sent a letter to the water company's chief executive, requesting an explanation.

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

Volunteers have been working urgently to clear the pellets, filling dozens of bags with the plastic waste, but the extent 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 over the weekend, "This is the worst pollution event I have ever witnessed. It is contaminated plastic. Sea creatures 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 can’t get it out. They will remain buoyant. It will create a slick which draws in plunging seabirds."

He added that the removal work have been exhausting. "Recently, I was on site cleaning it up. 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 a distance, the shoreline looks normal. But as soon as you get close up, you see there are millions dark beads, nestled under seaweed. It’s an unachievable mission – 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 seen of a contaminated shoreline."

The elected official, who joined the removal work, stated, "The immense quantity of polymer pellets that have washed up here threatens an environmental catastrophe. These biobeads are lethal to marine life and wildlife, and we are observing increased mortality among marine species on the coast."

"Local residents are laboring diligently to clear away as many beads as possible, but it’s a race against time. Southern Water must urgently establish if their nearby treatment facilities could be the origin of these biobeads, and I’ve asked them to dedicate all available resources to aiding the removal efforts in the meantime."

The beads are also dangerous to dogs as they hold a significant amount of PAHs, which are recognized for carcinogenic properties, and they frequently include toxins such as heavy metals, antimony, and bromine.

An official representative for the water company stated, "We are collaborating with the regulatory body and district authorities to look into the source of plastic beads which have washed up on the shoreline. This investigation work is still in progress."

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

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

Regulatory officials has been reached out to for a statement.