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The water company is conducting an inquiry after millions of polluted polymer pellets appeared on Camber Sands beach, raising fears of a possible "environmental catastrophe".

The plastic pellets could cause severe harm on marine life, according to a local MP, with concerns that protected marine species, including coastal birds, small cetaceans, 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, requesting an account.

Camber Sands, located in East Sussex, is one of England’s most beloved beaches, featuring rare dune habitat and expansive areas of golden sand.

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

A representative from a plastic pollution campaign group commented over the weekend, "This is the worst pollution event I have ever witnessed. It is polluted polymer. Sea creatures will consume small plastic items once they are in the ocean; they will attract algae, 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 create a slick which draws in plunging seabirds."

The expert continued that the removal work have been draining. "Yesterday, I was on site cleaning it up. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the sequence of events and the details for this horrendous event. It’s awful."

"They are so small that from a very long way off, the beach appears unaffected. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are millions dark beads, hidden among marine plants. It’s an unachievable mission – helpers have been raking for days, 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 participated in the removal work, stated, "The immense quantity of plastic beads that have appeared on this shore risks an ecological disaster. 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 laboring diligently to clear away as many beads as possible, but it’s a race against time. Southern Water must urgently establish if their local wastewater plants could be the source of these pellets, and I’ve asked them to dedicate all available resources to aiding the removal efforts in the interim."

These pellets are also dangerous to dogs as they hold a significant amount of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are recognized for carcinogenic properties, and they frequently include toxins such as lead, antimony, and chemical elements.

A spokesperson for the water company said, "We are working closely with the regulatory body and district authorities to look into the source of plastic beads which have washed up on Camber Beach. This investigation work is ongoing."

"Local officials is leading the clean-up of the beach, using trained personnel with a vehicle with suction equipment to remove the beads. We are also supporting with the removal process."

"We have performed environmental testing on the coast, which has revealed no effect to environmental water quality. These results has been shared with the district council and the regulatory body."

Regulatory officials has been reached out to for a statement.