Southern Water is continuing to investigate the biobeads pollution which the company first reported on 10 November on its website after large quantities of black plastic biobeads were washed ashore at Camber Sands.

In its latest update published yesteday evening, the water company said it is continuing to conduct daily monitoring across approximately 40 miles of coastline and nature reserves, including beach walks from Eastbourne to St Mary’s Bay, by environmental specialists, Adler and Allan.

Southern Water were notified on 7 November of the appearance of a large number of plastic beads washing up on Camber Sands beach in East Sussex. Inspections at its wastewater treatment works in Sussex have found a damaged filter screen on a tank at the utility’s Eastbourne site — 30 miles to the west — and evidence of loose beads in the works.

The company says it appears that during storm conditions on 29 October 2025, a surge caused significant turbulence on site and the failure of the screening filter allowed the beads in the tank to be pumped into the sea via the long-sea outfall, more than 3km offshore.

“We believe as the beads were released far offshore, it took some days for them to wash up on the beach with the tides and they were eventually carried on to Camber Sands on a heavy spring tide,” the company says.

According to the manufacturer, the beads are made of inert plastic and are non-toxic, chemically non-hazardous and stable. The water company says the beads pose no risk to water quality and are safe to touch. However, as a precautionary measure it is recommending that everyone helping to remove the beads from the beach wear gloves.

The latest investigations indicate less than 10 tonnes were released. Southern Water is reviewing tidal modelling to understand their movement and plan clean-up operations.

Southern Water says that as soon as reports of beads on the beach were received, its contractors attended to understand the scope of the pollution and inform. The company also undertook water quality testing and we worked alongside the District Council, Environment Agency and volunteers to support the clean up of the beach.

A statement on the company’s website says:

“We’d like to thank Rother District Council for leading the initial clean-up and to the incredible volunteers and contractors who supported.”

As at 11 November 2025 around 80% of the beads on the beach had been removed - work to clear the remaining beads is currently continuing."

On 14 November the Sussex Wildlife Trust said its monitoring has revealed bio-bead pollution in the saltmarsh at Rye Harbour Nature Reserve.

“This incident could have a devastating impact on the fragile saltmarsh habitat and its wildlife. The clean-up of this sensitive habitat will be complicated and needs to be carefully planned. We need to fully understand the extent to which the pollution has affected the reserve”, the Trust said.

Southern Water is covering all costs associated with the clean-up, including specialist equipment and contractors. However, it also anticipates that more beads may wash up with the spring tide.

The company is agreeing a comprehensive clean-up plan, guided by the Environment Agency and supported by specialists Nurdle and Adler and Allen, to tackle this on an ongoing basis.

Southern Water is also asking anyone who sees beads on a beach to report there finding and where possible include a what3words address to help pinpoint the exact location of the beads found.

The incident has been widely covered by print and online media.