MP calls for ban on ‘biobeads’ at sewage works after devastating Camber Sands spillage

Following a recent spill of "biobeads" at Camber Sands beach in East Sussex, MP Helena Dollimore and the Wildlife Trusts are launching a campaign to ban the use of these plastic beads at sewage works nationwide. The spill, caused by a failure at a Southern Water treatment plant, resulted in hundreds of millions of beads washing ashore, posing a threat to wildlife and containing heavy metals like lead and arsenic. The campaign highlights the outdated technology of using these beads for water purification, especially in coastal plants, when safer alternatives like electric currents or ceramic surfaces exist. Research indicates at least 15 treatment works, primarily older plants along the south and southwest coast of England, still utilize these potentially harmful beads. The campaign aims to eliminate the risk of future spills and environmental damage.

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