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The water company is conducting an inquiry after millions of polluted polymer pellets were found on Camber Sands beach, raising fears of a possible "ecological disaster".

The plastic pellets could cause severe harm on marine life, according to a local MP, with apprehensions that protected marine species, including seabirds, porpoises, and seals, might ingest them and perish.

A local official believes the beads may have been spilled from a nearby water treatment centre and has sent a letter to the top official, demanding an account.

Camber Sands, situated in the southeastern region, is a highly popular shoreline, known for rare dune habitat and expansive areas of golden sand.

Volunteers have been racing against time to remove the pellets, collecting multiple sacks with the plastic waste, but the scale of the contamination event is immense, and it is unlikely they will be able to clear every piece.

An expert from a plastic pollution campaign group remarked over the weekend, "This is the worst pollution event I have ever witnessed. It is contaminated plastic. Sea creatures will consume tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the sea; they will draw in microorganisms, they will smell like food, effectively."

"After ingestion, 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 out there removing the debris. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the sequence of events and the story for this devastating incident. It’s awful."

"The pellets are minuscule that from a a distance, 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 unachievable mission – helpers have been working tirelessly, and they will keep at it, but we cannot remove every pellet. It is the most severe I have ever encountered of a polluted beach."

The elected official, who participated in the removal work, remarked, "The immense quantity of polymer pellets that have appeared on this shore threatens 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 beach."

"Local residents are working tirelessly to remove as many pellets as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. The water company must urgently establish 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 meantime."

The beads are additionally hazardous to dogs as they contain a high number of PAHs, which are recognized for cancer-causing traits, and they frequently include toxins such as heavy metals, antimony, and chemical elements.

A spokesperson for Southern Water said, "We are collaborating with the regulatory body and local council to investigate the source of polymer pellets which have washed up on Camber Beach. The inquiry is ongoing."

"The district council is overseeing removal of the beach, using specialists with a vehicle with suction equipment to extract the beads. We are also supporting with the removal process."

"We have performed environmental testing on the beach, which has shown no impact to the aquatic environment. This data has been provided with the district council and the Environment Agency."

The Environment Agency has been reached out to for comment.