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Southern Water is conducting an inquiry after millions of contaminated plastic beads appeared on the shoreline at Camber, raising worries of a potential "environmental catastrophe".

The plastic pellets could have a dire impact on ocean creatures, as stated by a regional representative, with apprehensions that protected marine species, including seabirds, porpoises, and marine mammals, might consume them and perish.

The area's representative believes the beads may have been spilled from a local filtration facility and has written to the water company's chief executive, requesting an account.

This coastal area, located in the southeastern region, is one of England’s most beloved beaches, featuring rare dune habitat and expansive areas of fine grains.

Local helpers have been working urgently to remove the beads, filling dozens of bags with the plastic waste, but the scale of the pollution spill is immense, 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 witnessed. It is polluted polymer. Marine animals will ingest small plastic items once they are in the sea; they will draw in microorganisms, they will appear edible, effectively."

"After ingestion, there's no turning back: they can’t get it out. They will remain buoyant. It will form a layer which draws in diving coastal birds."

The expert continued that the clean-up efforts have been exhausting. "Yesterday, I was out there removing the debris. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the timeline and the story for this horrendous event. It’s awful."

"They are so small that from a a distance, the beach appears unaffected. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are countless black pellets, hidden among marine plants. It’s an unachievable mission – volunteers have been raking for days, and they will keep at it, but we cannot remove every pellet. It is the most severe I have ever seen of a polluted beach."

The elected official, who participated in the removal work, remarked, "The immense quantity of polymer pellets that have appeared on this shore risks an ecological disaster. These biobeads are deadly to marine life and wildlife, and we are observing increased mortality among marine species on the beach."

"Community members are working tirelessly to clear away as many pellets as possible, but it’s a race against time. The water company must urgently establish if their local wastewater plants could be the origin of these biobeads, and I’ve requested to commit every possible asset to aiding the removal efforts in the meantime."

The beads are additionally hazardous to canines as they contain a significant amount of PAHs, which are known to have carcinogenic properties, and they frequently include toxins such as heavy metals, antimony, and chemical elements.

A spokesperson for the water company stated, "We are working closely with the Environment Agency and local council to investigate the source of polymer pellets which have washed up on Camber Beach. This investigation work is ongoing."

"Local officials is leading the clean-up of the shore, using specialists with a specialized machinery to extract the pellets. We are also supporting with the clean-up."

"We’ve conducted water-quality sampling on the coast, which has shown no impact to environmental water quality. These results has been shared with the local authorities and the regulatory body."

The Environment Agency has been reached out to for a statement.