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The water company is conducting an inquiry after millions of contaminated plastic beads were found on the shoreline at Camber, raising fears of a possible "environmental catastrophe".

The plastic pellets could cause severe harm on ocean creatures, according to a regional representative, with apprehensions that rare sea life, including seabirds, porpoises, and marine mammals, might ingest them and perish.

A local official suspects the beads may have been spilled from a local filtration facility and has written to the top official, requesting an account.

Camber Sands, situated in the southeastern region, 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, filling dozens of bags with the synthetic debris, but the extent of the pollution spill is immense, and it is improbable they will be able to remove all of them.

A representative from a plastic pollution campaign group remarked over the weekend, "This is the worst pollution event I have ever seen. It is polluted polymer. Marine animals will consume small plastic items once they are in the ocean; they will draw in microorganisms, they will appear edible, in essence."

"Once they’ve eaten it, there's no turning back: they cannot expel it. They will remain buoyant. It will form a layer which draws in diving coastal birds."

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

"The pellets are minuscule that from a a distance, the beach looks normal. But as soon as you get close up, you see there are countless dark beads, nestled under seaweed. It’s an unachievable mission – volunteers have been raking for days, and they will keep at it, but we cannot remove every pellet. It is the worst I have ever encountered of a contaminated shoreline."

The elected official, who joined the removal work, remarked, "The huge number of polymer pellets that have washed up here threatens an environmental catastrophe. These biobeads are deadly to ocean and land animals, and we are already seeing increased mortality among marine species on the beach."

"Local residents are working tirelessly to clear away as many beads as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. Southern Water must quickly determine if their nearby treatment facilities could be the source of these pellets, and I’ve asked them to commit every possible asset to aiding the removal efforts in the meantime."

The beads are additionally hazardous to canines as they contain a high number of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are known to have carcinogenic properties, and they frequently include harmful substances including lead, metalloids, and chemical elements.

An official representative for the water company stated, "We are working closely with the regulatory body and district authorities to look into the source of plastic beads which have been deposited on the shoreline. The inquiry is ongoing."

"The district council is leading the clean-up of the shore, using trained personnel with a specialized machinery to remove the beads. We are additionally assisting with the removal process."

"We’ve conducted environmental testing on the beach, which has revealed no effect to the aquatic environment. These results has been shared with the district council and the Environment Agency."

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