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Southern Water is conducting an inquiry after millions of contaminated plastic beads were found on Camber Sands beach, raising worries of a potential "environmental catastrophe".

These biobeads could cause severe harm on marine life, as stated by a local MP, with apprehensions that rare sea life, such as seabirds, small cetaceans, and marine mammals, might ingest them and die.

A local official believes the pellets may have been released from a local filtration facility and has sent a letter to the water company's chief executive, demanding an explanation.

This coastal area, located in the southeastern region, is one of England’s most beloved beaches, known for unique sandy ecosystems and vast stretches of golden sand.

Local helpers have been racing against time to clear the pellets, filling dozens of bags with the plastic waste, but the extent of the contamination event is immense, and it is unlikely they will be able to remove all of them.

A representative from a plastic pollution campaign group remarked recently, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever seen. It is contaminated plastic. Marine animals will ingest tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the ocean; they will draw in microorganisms, they will smell like food, effectively."

"Once they’ve eaten it, there's no turning back: they cannot expel it. They will float on the surface. It will create a slick which attracts plunging seabirds."

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

"The pellets are minuscule that from a very long way off, the shoreline looks normal. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are millions dark beads, hidden among marine plants. It’s an unachievable mission – helpers have been raking for days, and they will continue to rake, but we won’t be able to get rid of them all. It is the worst I have ever seen of a polluted beach."

The local MP, who participated in the clean-up efforts, stated, "The huge number of polymer pellets that have appeared on this shore risks an environmental catastrophe. These plastic items are deadly to ocean and land animals, and we are observing increased mortality among marine species on the beach."

"Community members are laboring diligently to clear away as many beads as possible, but it’s a race against time. Southern Water 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 canines as they contain a high number of PAHs, which are recognized for carcinogenic properties, and they often contain toxins including lead, antimony, and bromine.

An official representative for the water company stated, "We are working closely with the regulatory body and district authorities to look into the cause of plastic beads which have been deposited on the shoreline. This investigation work is still in progress."

"Local officials is leading the clean-up of the beach, using trained personnel with a specialized machinery to remove the pellets. We are also supporting with the removal process."

"We’ve conducted environmental testing on the beach, which has shown no impact to environmental water quality. These results has been provided with the district council and the Environment Agency."

Regulatory officials has been reached out to for comment.