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Southern Water is conducting an inquiry after a vast number of polluted polymer pellets were found on the shoreline at Camber, raising worries of a potential "environmental catastrophe".

The plastic pellets could cause severe harm on ocean creatures, as stated by a regional representative, with apprehensions that protected marine species, such as seabirds, small cetaceans, and marine mammals, might ingest them and perish.

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

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

Volunteers have been racing against time to remove the beads, collecting multiple sacks with the synthetic debris, but the extent of the contamination event is vast, and it is unlikely they will be able to remove all of them.

An expert from a environmental organization remarked over the weekend, "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 sea; they will attract algae, they will appear edible, in essence."

"After ingestion, there's no turning back: they can’t get it out. They will float on the surface. It will form a layer which draws in plunging seabirds."

The expert continued that the clean-up efforts have been draining. "Yesterday, I was on site cleaning it up. We are trying to really piece together the sequence of events and the details for this horrendous event. It’s terrible."

"They are so small that from a very long way off, the beach looks normal. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are millions dark beads, hidden among marine plants. It’s an unachievable mission – volunteers have been raking for days, 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 washed up here risks an environmental catastrophe. These plastic items are lethal to ocean and land animals, and we are already seeing more dead seals, fish and porpoises on the beach."

"Community members are working tirelessly to remove as many beads as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. Southern Water must quickly determine if their local wastewater plants could be the source of these pellets, and I’ve requested to commit every possible asset to supporting the clean-up operation in the interim."

The beads are also dangerous to dogs as they contain a high number of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are known to have cancer-causing traits, and they frequently include harmful substances such as heavy metals, antimony, and chemical elements.

A spokesperson for the water company said, "We are collaborating with the regulatory body and local council to look into the source of polymer pellets which have washed up on the shoreline. This investigation work is ongoing."

"Local officials is overseeing removal of the shore, using specialists with a specialized machinery to remove the beads. We are also supporting with the clean-up."

"We’ve conducted water-quality sampling on the beach, which has shown no impact to the aquatic environment. These results has been provided with the local authorities and the Environment Agency."

The Environment Agency has been contacted for a statement.