Major plastic spill across Sussex coastline
The spill is believed to involve large quantities of tiny plastic pellets used in wastewater treatment
Last updated 10th Nov 2025
A major plastic pollution incident has hit the East Sussex coastline, prompting a large-scale clean-up effort.
The spill — believed to involve large quantities of bio-beads, tiny plastic pellets used in wastewater treatment — was first recorded on Hastings beaches on Thursday 30 October, and then in much higher quantities at Camber Sands on Friday 31 October, according to the charity Strandliners.
By Friday, the environmental charity Nurdle had deployed its specialist cleanup team and equipment to Camber Sands. The charity described the situation as “off the scale bad.”
A Nurdle spokesperson said: “It’s been all hands on deck getting this insidious stuff out of the environment. We haven’t had much chance to take many photos or videos yet — but we’ll be sure to share more over the weekend, including our final haul. We’re already up to over 1,200 litres!”
What began as a daunting task for just two Nurdle team members quickly became a large community effort, with around 50 local volunteers joining the clean-up to help prepare the area for the charity’s specialist vacuum equipment.
Nurdle said: “From looking at the beach this morning thinking, ‘how on earth can we do this with just two people?’ to having around 50 volunteers join us and clear the path for our vacuums, it’s been unbelievable.”
A spokesperson from the environmental group Strandliners said: "We regularly monitor the microplastic pollution at Camber Sands, but this is the worst we have ever seen. The impact on the environment and local wildlife is catastrophic.
"Birds and marine animals can easily mistake these toxic plastic pellets for food. Once ingested, it is difficult from them to expel the pellets, and they may either die of starvation or from the cumulative effects of the toxins they contain.
"Biobeads are used in wastewater treatment works to clean our water. There are two water treatment works close by, at Beckley and Eastbourne. This is a devastating accident and so far no one knows where they have come from. It is time the environmental regulator understood the magnitude of the threat that bio-beads pose to the natural environment".
Helena Dollimore, MP for Hastings and Rye, visited the affected area to witness the pollution first-hand and has been pressing the Environment Agency and Southern Water for answers about how the spill occurred.
A spokesperson for Rother District Council said: “Due to the potential risk posed to pets from these small plastic pellets, we strongly advise dog owners to keep dogs on leads and under close supervision while on the beach to stop them potentially eating the pellets.
“We are not aware of any concerns regarding public health, however the plastic pellets should not be ingested".
The incident has reignited concern about microplastic and bio-bead pollution, which can have long-lasting effects on marine ecosystems. Bio-beads are particularly difficult to recover once dispersed, as their small size and texture allow them to sink quickly into sand and seaweed.
Both Nurdle and Strandliners have urged members of the public to continue checking beaches along the south-east coast and to submit observations to help map the full extent of the spill.