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

These biobeads could cause severe harm on ocean creatures, as stated by a regional representative, with concerns that rare sea life, including coastal birds, small cetaceans, and marine mammals, might consume them and die.

A local official suspects the beads may have been spilled from a local filtration facility and has sent a letter to the water company's chief executive, requesting an explanation.

Camber Sands, situated in East Sussex, is a highly popular shoreline, known for unique sandy ecosystems and vast stretches of golden sand.

Local helpers have been working urgently 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 remove all of them.

A representative from a environmental organization commented over the weekend, "This is the worst pollution event I have ever witnessed. It is contaminated plastic. Marine animals will ingest tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the ocean; they will attract algae, they will appear edible, in essence."

"Once they’ve eaten it, that’s it: they cannot expel it. They will float on the surface. It will create a slick which attracts diving coastal birds."

He added 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 devastating incident. It’s terrible."

"They are so small that from a a distance, the shoreline appears unaffected. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are millions dark beads, nestled under seaweed. It’s an impossible task – 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 local MP, who participated in the clean-up efforts, remarked, "The huge number of polymer pellets that have appeared on this shore threatens an environmental catastrophe. These biobeads are deadly to marine life and wildlife, and we are observing increased mortality among marine species on the coast."

"Local residents are working tirelessly to clear away as many beads as possible, but it’s a race against time. Southern Water must quickly determine if their local wastewater plants 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."

These pellets are additionally hazardous to canines as they hold a high number of PAHs, which are known to have carcinogenic properties, and they frequently include harmful substances such as lead, metalloids, and chemical elements.

A spokesperson for the water company stated, "We are working closely with the Environment Agency and local council to look into the cause of polymer pellets which have washed up on the shoreline. This investigation work is still in progress."

"The district council is overseeing removal of the shore, using specialists with a specialized machinery to remove the pellets. We are also supporting with the removal process."

"We’ve conducted environmental testing on the coast, which has shown no impact to environmental water quality. This data has been provided with the district council and the regulatory body."

Regulatory officials has been contacted for comment.