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The water company is conducting an inquiry after millions of polluted polymer pellets appeared on the shoreline at Camber, raising worries of a possible "ecological disaster".

These biobeads could cause severe harm on marine life, according to a regional representative, with concerns that protected marine species, such as seabirds, porpoises, and seals, might ingest them and perish.

A local official suspects the beads may have been released from a local filtration facility and has written to the top official, demanding an account.

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

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

An expert from a environmental organization remarked recently, "This is the worst pollution event I have ever witnessed. It is contaminated plastic. Marine animals will ingest tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the ocean; they will attract algae, they will appear edible, effectively."

"Once they’ve eaten it, that’s it: they can’t get it out. They will remain buoyant. It will form a layer which draws in diving coastal birds."

He added that the clean-up efforts have been exhausting. "Yesterday, I was on site cleaning it up. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the timeline and the details for this horrendous event. It’s terrible."

"They are so small that from a very long way off, the beach 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 – 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 most severe I have ever seen of a polluted beach."

The local MP, who joined the clean-up efforts, stated, "The immense quantity of plastic beads that have washed up here threatens an environmental catastrophe. These biobeads are lethal to marine life and wildlife, and we are already seeing 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 quickly determine if their nearby treatment facilities could be the source of these biobeads, 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 significant amount of PAHs, which are known to have carcinogenic properties, and they often contain toxins including heavy metals, metalloids, and chemical elements.

An official representative for the water company said, "We are collaborating with the regulatory body and local council to investigate the source of polymer pellets which have washed up on the shoreline. The inquiry is ongoing."

"Local officials is leading the clean-up of the beach, using specialists with a vehicle with suction equipment to extract the pellets. We are also supporting with the removal process."

"We have performed environmental testing on the coast, which has shown no impact to the aquatic environment. This data has been shared with the district council and the regulatory body."

The Environment Agency has been reached out to for comment.