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The water company is conducting an inquiry after a vast number of polluted polymer pellets appeared on Camber Sands beach, raising fears of a potential "ecological disaster".

These biobeads could cause severe harm on marine life, according to a regional representative, with concerns that protected marine species, including coastal birds, porpoises, and marine mammals, might ingest them and die.

A local official suspects the pellets may have been released from a nearby water treatment centre and has sent a letter to the water company's chief executive, demanding an account.

This coastal area, located in East Sussex, is one of England’s most beloved beaches, featuring unique sandy ecosystems and expansive areas of fine grains.

Local helpers have been racing against time to clear the pellets, collecting dozens of bags with the plastic waste, but the extent of the contamination event is vast, and it is unlikely they will be able to clear every piece.

A representative from a environmental organization commented recently, "This is the worst pollution event I have ever witnessed. It is contaminated plastic. Sea creatures will ingest small plastic items once they are in the ocean; they will draw in microorganisms, they will smell like food, in essence."

"Once they’ve eaten it, there's no turning back: they cannot expel it. 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 timeline and the details for this horrendous event. It’s awful."

"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 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 seen of a polluted beach."

The local MP, who joined the removal work, remarked, "The huge number of polymer pellets that have washed up here threatens an ecological disaster. These plastic items are lethal to marine life and wildlife, and we are already seeing increased mortality among marine species on the coast."

"Community members are working tirelessly to clear away as many pellets as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. The water company must urgently establish if their local wastewater plants could be the source of these pellets, and I’ve requested to commit every possible asset to aiding the removal efforts in the interim."

These pellets are also dangerous to dogs as they hold a high number of PAHs, which are recognized for cancer-causing traits, and they frequently include harmful substances such as lead, metalloids, and chemical elements.

An official representative for Southern Water stated, "We are collaborating with the regulatory body and district authorities to look into the cause of plastic beads which have washed up on Camber Beach. This investigation work is ongoing."

"Local officials is overseeing removal of the beach, using specialists with a specialized machinery to extract the pellets. We are additionally assisting with the removal process."

"We have performed environmental testing on the beach, which has revealed no effect to the aquatic environment. This data has been provided with the local authorities and the Environment Agency."

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