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The water company is conducting an inquiry after a vast number of polluted polymer pellets appeared on the shoreline at Camber, sparking fears of a possible "environmental catastrophe".

These biobeads could have a dire impact on ocean creatures, as stated by a local MP, with apprehensions that protected marine species, including coastal birds, small cetaceans, and marine mammals, might ingest them and die.

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

Camber Sands, located in East Sussex, is a highly popular shoreline, known for unique sandy ecosystems and expansive areas of fine grains.

Local helpers have been racing against time to remove 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.

An expert from a plastic pollution campaign group remarked over the weekend, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever seen. It is polluted polymer. Marine animals will ingest small plastic items once they are in the ocean; they will draw in microorganisms, they will smell like food, effectively."

"Once they’ve eaten it, that’s it: they cannot expel it. They will float on the surface. It will form a layer which attracts plunging seabirds."

The expert continued that the clean-up efforts have been exhausting. "Yesterday, I was on site cleaning it up. We are trying to really piece together the timeline 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 countless dark beads, hidden among marine plants. It’s an impossible task – volunteers have been working tirelessly, and they will keep at it, but we won’t be able to get rid of them all. It is the most severe I have ever encountered of a polluted beach."

The elected official, who participated in the removal work, remarked, "The huge number of polymer pellets that have washed up here threatens an ecological disaster. These biobeads are deadly to marine life and wildlife, and we are observing more dead seals, fish and porpoises on the beach."

"Community members are laboring diligently to clear away as many beads as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. Southern Water must urgently establish if their local wastewater plants could be the source of these pellets, and I’ve asked them to commit every possible asset to aiding the removal efforts in the meantime."

The beads are additionally hazardous to dogs as they hold a significant amount of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are recognized for carcinogenic properties, and they often contain toxins including heavy metals, antimony, and bromine.

An official representative for Southern Water said, "We are working closely with the regulatory body and district authorities to look into the source of plastic beads which have washed up on Camber Beach. The inquiry is still in progress."

"The district council is overseeing removal of the shore, using trained personnel with a specialized machinery to remove the pellets. We are also supporting with the removal process."

"We have performed water-quality sampling on the beach, which has revealed no effect to the aquatic environment. This data has been provided with the district council and the Environment Agency."

Regulatory officials has been contacted for comment.