A wastewater facility breakdown has scattered countless small plastic beads across Camber Sands, one of England's most popular beaches, reported the Guardian. 

What happened?

Southern Water's Eastbourne Wastewater Treatment Works had a mechanical breakdown last week, dumping vast quantities of black plastic biobeads measuring about 5 millimeters across along Sussex beaches. The company acknowledged responsibility for the spill.

These beads normally help clean wastewater by providing surfaces where bacteria grow and remove contaminants. Now they blanket the shoreline. Volunteers have spent multiple days bent over the sand trying to collect them by hand with sieves, dustpans, and even makeshift mesh bags.

"We're scooping up the sand, then pouring the sand over a bucket into a sieve, and then pouring the water on top, so that we just get the beads."
– Roisin O'Gorman, resident of Hastings, UK#GlobalCarbonFeeAndDividendPetitionhttps://t.co/dLRZFGrV36

— Keith McNeill (@KeithMcNeill6) November 16, 2025

Andy Dinsdale, founder of the environmental group Strandliners and organizer of beach cleanups, gave up his son's birthday celebration to coordinate the response. A specialized vacuum machine from the cleanup organization Nurdle has operated all day long to suction up the pollution.

"We're fighting against the sunlight. We feel like we're fighting a losing battle, a little, because of the scale of the challenge," said volunteer Cate Lamb, who came from London with her family to help.

Why does this biobead spill matter?

These beads measure the same as food items consumed by numerous ocean creatures, according to University of Exeter ecotoxicology professor Tamara Galloway, per the Guardian. They can get ingested by marine animals and carry toxic chemicals through their bodies.

Pollution degrades over time, releasing substances that interfere with reproductive systems. Several dead animals have washed ashore following the spill, including multiple seals and a porpoise. Investigators currently see no connection between these deaths and the contamination.

Camber Sands borders the Rye Harbour Nature Reserve, the most expansive property that Sussex Wildlife Trust oversees. More than 4,355 species live in the reserve, including common terns, sandwich terns, little terns, oystercatchers, plovers, and avocets. 

According to the Guardian, site manager Paul Tinsley-Marshall described it as interconnected wetland environments that touch the sea, which is home to uncommon vegetated shingle habitats. Staff have confirmed the beads reached the reserve and are creating plans for cautious removal from this ecosystem.

Joshua Beech, an environmental scientist who invented the vacuum cleaning machine, calls this "the worst microplastic spill we've seen this year," per the Guardian.

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What's being done about the biobead pollution?

Helena Dollimore, the member of parliament for Hastings and Rye, is demanding that Southern Water fund the cleanup and any needed habitat restoration.

She is also pushing for an independent investigation, stating, per the Guardian: "Southern Water cannot be trusted to mark their own homework."

If you want to help prevent wastewater spills in your area, contact your local water utility to ask about their infrastructure maintenance plans and backup systems. You can also support organizations working on microplastic cleanup efforts and contact your elected officials about stronger regulations for wastewater treatment facilities.

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