Exclusive: Experts urge water companies to update plants to avoid another catastrophe, as analysis reveals scale of use
At least 15 sewage plants on England’s south coast use the same contaminated plastic beads that were spilled in an environmental disaster in Camber Sands, Guardian analysis can reveal.
Environmental experts have urged water companies to update these old treatment plants to avoid another catastrophic spill, which can lead to plastic beads being permanently embedded in the environment and killing marine wildlife.
The sewage works in these areas, which include some of England’s most treasured beaches, use billions of floating plastic beads in tanks to purify water. Experts say this is a risky method of treating sewage because of the risk that the beads could spill into the sea if one of the mesh screens holding them fails.
The government and regulators keep no record of which water companies use these beads, where the treatment works using them are located, or how many are in use, a government spokesperson confirmed, adding that it was a “matter for water companies”. This analysis reveals the scale of the problem for the first time.
