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Southern Water is conducting an inquiry after millions of contaminated plastic beads were found on Camber Sands beach, raising worries of a possible "environmental catastrophe".

These biobeads could have a dire impact on marine life, as stated by a regional representative, with concerns that rare sea life, including coastal birds, small cetaceans, and seals, might ingest them and die.

The area's representative believes the pellets may have been spilled from a nearby water treatment centre and has sent a letter to the top official, requesting an explanation.

Camber Sands, situated in the southeastern region, is a highly popular shoreline, featuring unique sandy ecosystems and expansive areas of golden sand.

Volunteers have been racing against time to clear the pellets, filling multiple sacks with the plastic waste, but the extent of the pollution spill is vast, and it is unlikely they will be able to remove all of them.

A representative from a environmental organization remarked recently, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever seen. It is polluted polymer. Marine animals will consume tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the ocean; they will draw in microorganisms, they will smell like food, in essence."

"After ingestion, that’s it: they cannot expel it. They will remain buoyant. It will create a slick which draws in plunging seabirds."

The expert continued that the clean-up efforts have been draining. "Recently, I was out there removing the debris. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the sequence of events and the details for this horrendous event. It’s awful."

"The pellets are minuscule that from a a distance, the shoreline looks normal. But as soon as you get close up, you see there are countless black pellets, hidden among marine plants. It’s an impossible task – volunteers have been working tirelessly, and they will keep at it, but we cannot remove every pellet. It is the most severe I have ever seen of a contaminated shoreline."

The local MP, who joined the clean-up efforts, remarked, "The huge number of plastic beads that have washed up here risks an ecological disaster. These biobeads are deadly to ocean and land animals, and we are observing increased mortality among marine species on the beach."

"Community members are laboring diligently to clear away as many beads as possible, but it’s a race against time. Southern Water must quickly determine if their nearby treatment facilities could be the origin of these biobeads, and I’ve requested to dedicate all available resources to supporting the clean-up operation in the interim."

These pellets are additionally hazardous to dogs as they hold a high number of PAHs, which are known to have cancer-causing traits, and they frequently include harmful substances including lead, metalloids, and chemical elements.

An official representative for the water company stated, "We are working closely with the Environment Agency and district authorities to look into the source of polymer pellets which have been deposited on Camber Beach. This investigation work is still in progress."

"The district council is overseeing removal of the beach, using specialists with a specialized machinery to remove the beads. We are also supporting with the clean-up."

"We’ve conducted water-quality sampling on the beach, which has shown no impact to the aquatic environment. These results has been provided with the local authorities and the Environment Agency."

The Environment Agency has been contacted for a statement.