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The water company is conducting an inquiry after millions of contaminated plastic beads appeared on the shoreline at Camber, raising worries of a potential "environmental catastrophe".

The plastic pellets could have a dire impact on ocean creatures, according to a local MP, with concerns that rare sea life, such as coastal birds, small cetaceans, and seals, might consume them and die.

The area's representative suspects the beads may have been spilled from a local filtration facility and has sent a letter to the top official, requesting an explanation.

Camber Sands, situated in the southeastern region, is a highly popular shoreline, featuring rare dune habitat and vast stretches of golden sand.

Local helpers have been racing against time to clear the pellets, collecting dozens of bags with the plastic waste, 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 plastic pollution campaign group commented over the weekend, "This is the worst pollution event I have ever witnessed. It is contaminated plastic. Marine animals will ingest small plastic items once they are in the sea; they will attract algae, they will smell like food, in essence."

"Once they’ve eaten it, that’s it: they can’t get it out. They will float on the surface. It will create a slick which draws in diving coastal birds."

The expert continued that the removal work have been exhausting. "Yesterday, I was on site removing the debris. We are trying to really piece together the sequence of events and the details for this horrendous event. It’s terrible."

"The pellets are minuscule that from a very long way off, 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 worst I have ever seen of a polluted beach."

The elected official, who joined the clean-up efforts, remarked, "The huge number of plastic beads that have washed up here risks an ecological disaster. These plastic items are lethal to ocean and land animals, and we are already seeing more dead seals, fish and porpoises on the coast."

"Community members are laboring diligently to remove as many pellets as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. Southern Water must quickly determine if their local wastewater plants could be the origin of these pellets, and I’ve asked them to dedicate all available resources to aiding the removal efforts in the interim."

The beads are additionally hazardous to canines as they hold a high number of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are known to have carcinogenic properties, and they often contain harmful substances such as heavy metals, antimony, and chemical elements.

An official representative for the water company stated, "We are collaborating with the Environment Agency and district authorities to look into the cause of plastic beads which have been deposited on the shoreline. This investigation work 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 also supporting with the clean-up."

"We’ve conducted environmental testing on the beach, which has shown no impact to the aquatic environment. These results has been shared with the local authorities and the Environment Agency."

The Environment Agency has been reached out to for a statement.