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Southern Water is conducting an inquiry after millions of contaminated plastic beads were found on Camber Sands beach, sparking fears of a possible "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, porpoises, and marine mammals, might ingest them and die.

The area's representative suspects the beads may have been spilled from a nearby water treatment centre and has written to the water company's chief executive, requesting an explanation.

Camber Sands, situated in the southeastern region, is one of England’s most beloved beaches, featuring rare dune habitat and vast stretches of fine grains.

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

An expert from a environmental organization commented recently, "This is the worst pollution event I have ever witnessed. It is contaminated plastic. Marine animals will consume tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the ocean; they will attract algae, they will smell like food, in essence."

"After ingestion, that’s it: they can’t get it out. They will remain buoyant. It will create a slick which attracts plunging seabirds."

The expert continued that the removal work have been draining. "Recently, I was on site removing the debris. We are trying to really piece together the sequence of events 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 get close up, you see there are millions dark beads, nestled under seaweed. It’s an impossible task – helpers have been working tirelessly, and they will keep at it, but we won’t be able to get rid of them all. It is the most severe I have ever encountered of a contaminated shoreline."

The elected official, who joined the removal work, remarked, "The immense quantity of polymer pellets that have appeared on this shore risks an ecological disaster. These biobeads are lethal to marine life and wildlife, and we are observing increased mortality among marine species on the beach."

"Local residents are laboring diligently to remove as many beads as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. The water company must quickly determine if their local wastewater plants could be the source of these biobeads, and I’ve asked them to commit every possible asset to supporting the clean-up operation in the meantime."

These pellets are additionally hazardous to dogs as they contain a significant amount of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are known to have carcinogenic properties, and they frequently include toxins such as lead, metalloids, and bromine.

An official representative for Southern Water stated, "We are collaborating with the Environment Agency and district authorities to investigate the cause of polymer pellets which have been deposited on Camber Beach. This investigation work is still in progress."

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

"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.