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Southern Water is currently investigating after millions of contaminated plastic beads appeared on the shoreline at Camber, raising worries of a possible "ecological disaster".

The plastic pellets could cause severe harm on marine life, according to a regional representative, with concerns that rare sea life, including coastal birds, porpoises, and marine mammals, might consume them and perish.

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

Camber Sands, situated in East Sussex, is one of England’s most beloved beaches, known for unique sandy ecosystems and vast stretches of golden sand.

Volunteers have been working urgently to clear the pellets, filling dozens of bags with the synthetic debris, but the extent of the contamination event is vast, and it is unlikely they will be able to clear every piece.

A representative from a environmental organization remarked 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, effectively."

"After ingestion, that’s it: they can’t get it out. They will remain buoyant. It will form a layer which draws in diving coastal birds."

He added that the removal work have been draining. "Recently, I was out there removing the debris. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the timeline and the details for this devastating incident. It’s terrible."

"The pellets are minuscule that from a a distance, the shoreline appears unaffected. But as soon as you get close up, you see there are countless dark beads, hidden among marine plants. It’s an impossible task – helpers have been working tirelessly, 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 elected official, who joined the clean-up efforts, stated, "The immense quantity of plastic beads that have appeared on this shore threatens an environmental catastrophe. These biobeads are deadly to marine life and wildlife, and we are observing increased mortality among marine species on the beach."

"Community members are working tirelessly to remove as many beads as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. Southern Water must urgently establish if their nearby treatment facilities could be the origin of these biobeads, and I’ve requested to commit every possible asset to aiding the removal efforts in the meantime."

These pellets are also dangerous to canines as they contain a high number of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are known to have cancer-causing traits, and they often contain toxins such as lead, antimony, and chemical elements.

A spokesperson for the water company said, "We are collaborating with the regulatory body and district authorities to look into the cause of plastic beads which have been deposited on Camber Beach. The inquiry is ongoing."

"The district council is overseeing removal of the beach, using trained personnel 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 shown no impact to environmental water quality. These results has been shared with the local authorities and the regulatory body."

Regulatory officials has been reached out to for comment.