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The water company is conducting an inquiry after millions of contaminated plastic beads appeared on the shoreline at Camber, raising worries of a possible "ecological disaster".

These biobeads could cause severe harm on marine life, according to a regional representative, with concerns that rare sea life, such as seabirds, porpoises, and seals, might consume them and perish.

The area's representative believes the beads may have been released from a local filtration facility and has written to the top official, demanding an explanation.

Camber Sands, situated in the southeastern region, is one of England’s most beloved beaches, known for rare dune habitat and vast stretches of golden sand.

Volunteers have been racing against time to clear the beads, filling multiple sacks with the plastic waste, but the extent of the pollution spill is immense, and it is unlikely they will be able to remove all of them.

A representative from a plastic pollution campaign group commented recently, "This is the worst pollution event I have ever witnessed. It is polluted polymer. Marine animals will ingest tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the sea; they will draw in microorganisms, they will appear edible, in essence."

"Once they’ve eaten it, that’s it: they can’t get it out. They will float on the surface. It will create a slick which draws in diving coastal birds."

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

"They are so small that from a very long way off, the shoreline looks normal. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are countless dark beads, hidden among marine plants. It’s an impossible task – volunteers have been working tirelessly, and they will continue to rake, but we won’t be able to get rid of them all. 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 appeared on this shore 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 coast."

"Community members are working tirelessly to remove as many pellets 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 asked them to commit every possible asset to supporting the clean-up operation in the interim."

The beads are additionally hazardous to dogs as they hold a significant amount of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are recognized for carcinogenic properties, and they often contain toxins such as lead, antimony, and bromine.

An official representative for the water company stated, "We are collaborating with the regulatory body and district authorities to investigate the cause of polymer pellets which have been deposited on the shoreline. The inquiry is still in progress."

"The district council is overseeing removal of the beach, using specialists with a specialized machinery to remove the pellets. We are additionally assisting with the clean-up."

"We have performed water-quality sampling on the beach, which has shown no impact to environmental water quality. This data has been provided with the local authorities and the Environment Agency."

The Environment Agency has been reached out to for comment.