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

These biobeads could have a dire impact on ocean creatures, according to a local MP, with concerns that protected marine species, such as seabirds, porpoises, and marine mammals, might ingest them and perish.

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

This coastal area, located in the southeastern region, is one of England’s most beloved beaches, known for rare dune habitat and vast stretches of fine grains.

Volunteers have been racing against time to remove the pellets, filling dozens of bags with the synthetic debris, 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 plastic pollution campaign group remarked recently, "This is the worst pollution event I have ever witnessed. It is polluted polymer. Sea creatures will consume small plastic items once they are in the sea; they will draw in microorganisms, they will appear edible, in essence."

"After ingestion, that’s it: they cannot expel it. They will remain buoyant. It will form a layer which attracts plunging seabirds."

He added that the removal work have been exhausting. "Yesterday, I was on site cleaning it up. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the sequence of events and the story for this horrendous event. It’s awful."

"They are so small that from a very long way off, the shoreline appears unaffected. But as soon as you get close up, 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 cannot remove every pellet. It is the most severe I have ever seen of a contaminated shoreline."

The elected official, who participated in the removal work, remarked, "The huge number of polymer pellets that have washed up here risks an ecological disaster. These plastic items are lethal to ocean and land animals, and we are observing increased mortality among marine species on the coast."

"Community members are laboring diligently to clear away as many pellets as possible, but it’s a race against time. Southern Water must urgently establish if their nearby treatment facilities could be the origin of these pellets, and I’ve requested to dedicate all available resources to aiding the removal efforts in the interim."

The beads are additionally hazardous to canines as they hold a significant amount of PAHs, which are known to have cancer-causing traits, and they frequently include harmful substances such as lead, antimony, and chemical elements.

A spokesperson for Southern Water said, "We are working closely with the regulatory body and local council to look into the cause of plastic beads which have washed up on Camber Beach. This investigation work is still in progress."

"The district council is leading the clean-up of the shore, using trained personnel with a vehicle with suction equipment to remove the beads. We are also supporting with the removal process."

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

The Environment Agency has been reached out to for comment.