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The water company is conducting an inquiry after millions of polluted polymer pellets were found on Camber Sands beach, raising fears of a potential "environmental catastrophe".

The plastic pellets could have a dire impact on ocean creatures, as stated by a local MP, with concerns that protected marine species, including seabirds, small cetaceans, and marine mammals, might consume them and perish.

The area's representative believes the beads may have been spilled from a nearby water treatment centre and has sent a letter to the water company's chief executive, requesting an explanation.

This coastal area, located in East Sussex, is one of England’s most beloved beaches, featuring rare dune habitat and expansive areas of golden sand.

Volunteers have been racing against time to clear the pellets, collecting dozens of bags with the plastic waste, but the scale of the contamination event is immense, and it is improbable they will be able to remove all of them.

An expert from a environmental organization commented over the weekend, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever witnessed. It is polluted polymer. Marine animals will ingest tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the ocean; they will attract algae, they will appear edible, in essence."

"Once they’ve eaten it, there's no turning back: they cannot expel it. They will remain buoyant. It will create a slick which draws in plunging seabirds."

He added that the clean-up efforts have been exhausting. "Recently, I was on site removing the debris. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the sequence of events and the story for this horrendous event. It’s terrible."

"The pellets are minuscule that from a a distance, the shoreline appears unaffected. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are millions dark beads, nestled under seaweed. It’s an impossible task – helpers have been working tirelessly, and they will continue to rake, but we won’t be able to get rid of them all. It is the most severe I have ever seen of a polluted beach."

The local MP, who joined 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 already seeing increased mortality among marine species on the coast."

"Community members are working tirelessly to clear away as many beads as possible, but it’s a race against time. The water company must quickly determine if their nearby treatment facilities could be the source of these pellets, and I’ve requested to dedicate all available resources to supporting the clean-up operation in the meantime."

The beads are additionally hazardous to canines as they contain a high number of PAHs, which are recognized for cancer-causing traits, and they frequently include toxins including lead, metalloids, and bromine.

An official representative for Southern Water said, "We are collaborating with the regulatory body and local council to look into the cause of plastic beads which have been deposited on the shoreline. The inquiry is ongoing."

"Local officials is leading the clean-up of the beach, using specialists with a specialized machinery to remove the beads. We are additionally assisting with the removal process."

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

Regulatory officials has been contacted for a statement.