Southern Water "Very Sorry" For Massive Toxic Spill, Which They Lied About; "Unclear" If They Will Face Legal Action
Southern Water has taken responsibility for the catastrophic spill of plastic biobeads that polluted the Sussex coastline. Local charities reported a huge spill of millions of biobeads over the weekend, washing up on beaches including Camber Sands. Andy Dinsdale, the founder of the plastic pollution campaign group Strandliners, said it was the worst pollution event he had seen.
According to Southern Water, the spill was caused by a mechanical failure at its Eastbourne sewage works. The beads are used in the last step of the cleaning process before treated effluent water is released back into rivers or the sea. A spokesperson said: “After completing the initial stages of a thorough investigation, which is continuing, we believe it is highly likely that the beads have come from our Eastbourne wastewater treatment works. “We’ve identified a failure of a screening filter, which has apparently led to beads used in the treatment process being released into the sea during heavy rainfall. The screen should have prevented this occurring.
“We are very sorry this has happened and are doing everything possible to investigate and resolve the problem.” The company said it would provide further updates when more information became available. “Southern Water teams continue to work closely with Rother district council, which is leading the cleanup efforts, and we remain committed to supporting this work in every way we can,” it added.
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It is unclear whether the company will face punishment for the spill, such as a fine. The Environment Agency has been contacted for comment. Camber Sands in East Sussex is one of England’s most beloved beaches, with rare dune habitat and vast stretches of golden sand. It is home to several species including dolphins, porpoises, seals and seabirds including terns and cormorants.These beads contain a high number of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which have been linked to cancer. They often contain toxins including lead, antimony and bromine. Once in the sea, they attract algae, which makes them smell like food to sea creatures, which then eat them and can be poisoned.
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https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/nov/10/southern-water-spill-plastic-biobeads-sussex-camber-sands