There is an “environmental catastrophe” at Camber Sands after “millions” of plastic beads washed up on the East Sussex beach, an MP has warned.
It is thought the dark grey or black “bio-beads” may have come from local water treatment plants.
Helena Dollimore, MP for Hastings and Rye, has written to the head of Southern Water, saying they are “commonly used in wastewater plants locally”.
Ms Dollimore also said she is “aware of no reports of bio-bead spills by ships in the Channel”.
The “scale of pollution is severe”, the Labour MP said, adding that a “continuous line of bio-beads stretches along the entire two-mile coastline, embedded in dense seaweed and sand”.
Southern Water said it was working closely with the local council and the Environment Agency to investigate the situation.
Camber Sands is one of the few sand dune systems on the south coast and a large section of the western end of the dunes lie within a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), while the rest is designated a Site of Nature Conservation Importance (SNCI).
Volunteers, coastal officers and charities are helping to remove the plastic but it’s a “race against time”, Ms Dollimore said.
In addition, a “higher than usual number of dead seals and harbour porpoises have been washing up this week”, she added.
One of the charities, Strandliners, said a “giant hoovering machine” had been brought in to assist with what it called the “impossible task of clearing up”.
It is asking local volunteers to bring long rakes and dustpans and brushes.
More beaches beyond Hastings and Camber Sands need to be checked, the charity said.
A Southern Water spokesperson said: “We are working closely with the Environment Agency and Rother District Council to investigate the source of plastic beads which have washed up on Camber Beach, this investigation work is ongoing.
“Rother District Council is leading the clean-up of the beach, using specialists with a vehicle with suction equipment to remove the beads. We are also supporting with the clean-up.
“We’ve conducted water quality sampling on the beach, which has shown no impact to environmental water quality. This data has been shared with Rother District Council and the Environment Agency.”
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An Environment Agency spokesperson said: “We are aware that a large number of plastic nurdles have washed up along a stretch of coastline in East Sussex which includes Camber Sands.
“We are providing advice and guidance to Rother District Council, which has employed contractors to carry out a clean-up operation. This work is currently under way.
“We are working with other responders to identify the source of the pollution.”
