Plastic pellet beach clean-up to resume after pause

A clean-up operation to remove plastic pellets washed up at an East Sussex beach is to resume next month after a pause during the summer.

Millions of pellets, commonly known as biobeads, washed up in Camber Sands, Rye Harbour Nature Reserve and St Mary's Bay after a spill at a Southern Water treatment works in Eastbourne in October 2025.

Since November, a major clean-up operation has taken place involving Rother District Council, Environment Agency, Southern Water and non-for-profit organisation, Nurdle.

While many of the pellets that washed up on the beach have already been removed, some remain, the council said.

While visitors can access the beach, the council urged residents not to pick up or handle the pellets and to ensure children and pets do not ingest them.

The clean-up operation is to resume on 5 October.

Following recent high tides and rough weather, more pellets washed ashore an 800m (2,624ft) section of Camber Sands beach on 12 September, Southern Water said.

The water company also confirmed it was not linked to a new incident.

A spokesperson for firm said: "We investigated immediately and can reassure the public that no further beads have left our Eastbourne Wastewater Treatment Works. This was not a new release.

"The recent wash-up was caused by historic beads being brought ashore by the exceptionally high spring tides."

Southern Water added that it carried out a clean-up operation to clear up those pellets, which began on Tuesday.

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