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Southern Water is conducting an inquiry after millions of polluted polymer pellets were found on the shoreline at Camber, raising fears of a possible "environmental catastrophe".

These biobeads could cause severe harm on marine life, as stated by a regional representative, with apprehensions 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 released from a nearby water treatment centre and has sent a letter to the top official, demanding an explanation.

Camber Sands, located in the southeastern region, is one of England’s most beloved beaches, featuring rare dune habitat and vast stretches of golden sand.

Local helpers have been working urgently to clear the beads, collecting multiple sacks with the synthetic debris, but the scale of the pollution spill is vast, and it is unlikely they will be able to clear every piece.

An expert from a environmental organization remarked over the weekend, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever seen. It is polluted polymer. Sea creatures will ingest small plastic items once they are in the sea; they will attract algae, they will smell like food, effectively."

"Once they’ve eaten it, there's no turning back: they cannot expel it. They will remain buoyant. It will form a layer which attracts plunging seabirds."

The expert continued that the clean-up efforts have been draining. "Yesterday, I was out there cleaning it up. We are trying to really piece together the timeline and the details for this devastating incident. It’s awful."

"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 unachievable mission – 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 seen of a polluted beach."

The local MP, who joined the clean-up efforts, remarked, "The immense quantity of polymer pellets that have appeared on this shore risks an ecological disaster. These plastic items are deadly to marine life and wildlife, and we are observing increased mortality among marine species on the beach."

"Community members are laboring diligently to clear away as many pellets as possible, but it’s a race against time. The water company must quickly determine if their local wastewater plants could be the origin of these pellets, and I’ve asked them to commit every possible asset to aiding the removal efforts in the meantime."

The beads are also dangerous to dogs as they contain a high number of PAHs, which are recognized for carcinogenic properties, and they frequently include toxins such as heavy metals, metalloids, and bromine.

An official representative for Southern Water stated, "We are collaborating with the Environment Agency and local council to investigate the source of plastic beads which have washed up on the shoreline. The inquiry is still in progress."

"The district council is leading the clean-up of the beach, using trained personnel with a specialized machinery to extract the beads. We are also supporting with the clean-up."

"We have performed water-quality sampling on the coast, which has shown no impact to the aquatic environment. This data has been provided with the local authorities and the Environment Agency."

Regulatory officials has been contacted for comment.