Plastic beads spreading on Sussex coast after ‘catastrophic’ spill, meeting told

Local people describe devastating impact of millions of toxic beads from Southern Water site near Camber Sands

• What are bio-beads used for and how did they get spilled on to Camber Sands beach?

The massive spill of plastic beads at Camber Sands is devastating for local people, wildlife and tourism and the beads are dispersing along the coast, residents heard at an emotional public meeting on Thursday.

Millions of tiny, toxic plastic beads are thought to have escaped into the sea from Eastbourne sewage works in East Sussex about two weeks ago when a screen keeping them in broke. They began to wash up on Camber Sands beach last Thursday, with the situation worsening over the weekend.