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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 have a dire impact on ocean creatures, as stated by a local MP, with concerns that protected marine species, including coastal birds, porpoises, and marine mammals, might ingest them and die.

The area's representative suspects the pellets may have been spilled from a local filtration facility and has written to the top official, requesting an account.

This coastal area, situated in the southeastern region, is a highly popular shoreline, featuring unique sandy ecosystems and expansive areas of fine grains.

Volunteers have been working urgently to clear the pellets, filling multiple sacks with the plastic waste, but the extent of the contamination event is immense, and it is unlikely they will be able to clear every piece.

A representative from a plastic pollution campaign group remarked recently, "This is the worst pollution event I have ever seen. It is polluted polymer. Marine animals will consume small plastic items once they are in the ocean; they will draw in microorganisms, they will appear edible, in essence."

"After ingestion, there's no turning back: they can’t get it out. They will remain buoyant. It will create a slick which draws in diving coastal birds."

He added that the clean-up efforts have been draining. "Recently, I was on site removing the debris. 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 beach appears unaffected. But as soon as you get close up, you see there are countless black pellets, hidden among marine plants. It’s an unachievable mission – helpers 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 worst I have ever seen of a contaminated shoreline."

The elected official, who joined the clean-up efforts, stated, "The immense quantity of plastic beads that have appeared on this shore risks an ecological disaster. These plastic items are deadly to marine life and wildlife, and we are already seeing increased mortality among marine species on the coast."

"Local residents are laboring diligently to clear away as many beads as possible, but it’s a race against time. The water company must quickly determine if their nearby treatment facilities could be the origin of these biobeads, and I’ve asked them to commit every possible asset to aiding the removal efforts in the interim."

The beads are also dangerous to dogs as they contain a high number of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are recognized for carcinogenic properties, and they often contain harmful substances such as lead, antimony, and bromine.

A spokesperson for the water company stated, "We are collaborating with the Environment Agency and district authorities to investigate the source of polymer pellets which have washed up on the shoreline. The inquiry is ongoing."

"The district council is leading the clean-up of the beach, using specialists with a vehicle with suction equipment to extract the pellets. We are additionally assisting with the clean-up."

"We’ve conducted water-quality sampling on the beach, which has shown no impact to environmental water quality. These results has been provided with the local authorities and the regulatory body."

Regulatory officials has been reached out to for comment.