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The water company is conducting an inquiry after millions of contaminated plastic beads appeared on Camber Sands beach, sparking fears of a possible "environmental catastrophe".

The plastic pellets could cause severe harm on ocean creatures, according to a regional representative, with apprehensions that rare sea life, such as seabirds, small cetaceans, and seals, might consume them and die.

The area's representative suspects the beads may have been spilled from a nearby water treatment centre and has written to the top official, requesting an account.

Camber Sands, situated in the southeastern region, is a highly popular shoreline, known for rare dune habitat and expansive areas of golden sand.

Local helpers have been racing against time to remove the beads, collecting dozens of bags with the synthetic debris, but the scale of the pollution spill is immense, and it is unlikely they will be able to clear every piece.

A representative from a plastic pollution campaign group remarked over the weekend, "This is the worst pollution event I have ever witnessed. It is polluted polymer. Marine animals will consume tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the sea; they will attract algae, they will smell like food, in essence."

"After ingestion, there's no turning back: they cannot expel it. They will float on the surface. It will create a slick which attracts diving coastal birds."

He added that the clean-up efforts have been draining. "Yesterday, I was out there removing the debris. We are trying to really piece together the sequence of events and the story for this devastating incident. It’s awful."

"They are so small that from a very long way off, the beach looks normal. But as soon as you get close up, you see there are millions black pellets, nestled under seaweed. It’s an impossible task – volunteers 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 contaminated shoreline."

The elected official, who participated in the clean-up efforts, stated, "The huge number of polymer pellets that have appeared on this shore risks an ecological disaster. These plastic items are lethal to ocean and land animals, and we are already seeing increased mortality among marine species on the beach."

"Local residents are laboring diligently to remove as many pellets as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. Southern Water must urgently establish if their nearby treatment facilities could be the origin of these biobeads, and I’ve requested to commit every possible asset to supporting the clean-up operation in the meantime."

These pellets are additionally hazardous to canines as they hold a significant amount of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are recognized for cancer-causing traits, and they often contain toxins including heavy metals, antimony, and chemical elements.

An official representative for the water company stated, "We are collaborating with the Environment Agency and district authorities to look into the source of plastic beads which have washed up on the shoreline. This investigation work is ongoing."

"The district council is overseeing removal of the shore, using specialists with a specialized machinery to extract the pellets. We are additionally assisting with the removal process."

"We have performed water-quality sampling on the coast, which has revealed no effect to environmental water quality. These results has been shared with the district council and the Environment Agency."

Regulatory officials has been reached out to for a statement.