🔗 Share this article

The water company is conducting an inquiry after a vast number of polluted polymer pellets were found on Camber Sands beach, raising worries 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, including coastal birds, small cetaceans, and marine mammals, might consume them and die.

The area's representative believes the beads may have been released from a nearby water treatment centre and has written 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, featuring unique sandy ecosystems and vast stretches of fine grains.

Volunteers have been racing against time to clear the pellets, collecting dozens of bags with the synthetic debris, but the extent of the pollution spill is immense, and it is improbable they will be able to remove all of them.

A representative from a environmental organization 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 smell like food, in essence."

"Once they’ve eaten it, that’s it: they can’t get it out. They will remain buoyant. It will form a layer which attracts diving coastal birds."

The expert continued that the clean-up efforts have been draining. "Yesterday, I was out there removing the debris. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the sequence of events and the details for this horrendous event. It’s awful."

"They are so small that from a a distance, the shoreline appears unaffected. But as soon as you get close up, you see there are millions dark beads, nestled under seaweed. It’s an impossible task – helpers have been raking for days, and they will keep at it, but we won’t be able to get rid of them all. It is the most severe I have ever encountered of a polluted beach."

The local MP, who joined the removal work, remarked, "The huge number of polymer pellets that have washed up here risks an ecological disaster. These plastic items 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 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 pellets, and I’ve asked them to dedicate all available resources to supporting the clean-up operation in the interim."

These pellets are additionally hazardous to canines as they contain a high number of PAHs, which are recognized for carcinogenic properties, and they often contain harmful substances such as lead, metalloids, and bromine.

An official representative for Southern Water said, "We are collaborating with the Environment Agency and district authorities to look into the source of polymer pellets which have washed up on the shoreline. The inquiry is still in progress."

"The district council is overseeing removal of the beach, using specialists with a vehicle with suction equipment to extract the beads. We are also supporting with the removal process."

"We’ve conducted water-quality sampling on the coast, which has revealed no effect to the aquatic environment. These results has been shared with the district council and the Environment Agency."

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