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The water company is conducting an inquiry after a vast number of polluted polymer pellets were found on the shoreline at Camber, sparking worries of a possible "ecological disaster".

The plastic pellets could have a dire impact on marine life, as stated by a local MP, with apprehensions that protected marine species, including coastal birds, porpoises, and seals, might consume them and die.

A local official believes the pellets may have been released from a nearby water treatment centre and has written to the water company's chief executive, demanding an account.

This coastal area, situated in East Sussex, is one of England’s most beloved beaches, known for rare dune habitat and vast stretches of fine grains.

Local helpers have been working urgently to clear the beads, collecting dozens of bags with the synthetic debris, but the scale of the contamination event is vast, and it is improbable they will be able to remove all of them.

An expert from a plastic pollution campaign group commented 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 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 form a layer which draws in diving coastal birds."

The expert continued that the clean-up efforts have been draining. "Recently, I was on site removing the debris. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the timeline and the story for this horrendous event. It’s terrible."

"The pellets are minuscule that from a very long way off, the beach appears unaffected. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are countless dark beads, nestled under seaweed. It’s an unachievable mission – volunteers have been raking for days, and they will continue to rake, but we cannot remove every pellet. It is the worst I have ever encountered of a contaminated shoreline."

The elected official, who joined the clean-up efforts, remarked, "The huge number of plastic beads that have appeared on this shore threatens an environmental catastrophe. These biobeads are lethal to marine life and wildlife, and we are already seeing more dead seals, fish and porpoises on the beach."

"Local residents are laboring diligently to remove as many pellets as possible, but it’s a race against time. Southern Water must quickly determine if their nearby treatment facilities could be the source of these pellets, and I’ve requested to dedicate all available resources to supporting the clean-up operation in the interim."

The beads are additionally hazardous to dogs as they hold a significant amount of PAHs, which are known to have cancer-causing traits, and they often contain toxins including heavy metals, antimony, and chemical elements.

An official representative for Southern Water stated, "We are working closely with the regulatory body and local council to investigate the source of polymer pellets which have washed up on Camber Beach. The inquiry is still in progress."

"Local officials is overseeing removal of the beach, using trained personnel with a vehicle with suction equipment to extract the pellets. We are also supporting with the removal process."

"We’ve conducted environmental testing on the coast, which has shown no impact to the aquatic environment. This data has been provided with the district council and the Environment Agency."

Regulatory officials has been contacted for comment.