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The water company is conducting an inquiry after millions of contaminated plastic beads were found on Camber Sands beach, raising fears of a possible "environmental catastrophe".

These biobeads could have a dire impact on marine life, as stated by a local MP, with concerns that protected marine species, such as coastal birds, porpoises, and seals, might consume them and perish.

The area's representative believes the pellets may have been released from a nearby water treatment centre and has sent a letter to the top official, demanding an explanation.

This coastal area, situated in the southeastern region, is one of England’s most beloved beaches, known for unique sandy ecosystems and expansive areas of fine grains.

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

An expert from a environmental organization commented over the weekend, "This is the worst pollution event I have ever witnessed. It is contaminated plastic. Sea creatures will ingest tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the sea; they will attract algae, they will smell like food, effectively."

"Once they’ve eaten it, there's no turning back: they can’t get it out. They will float on the surface. It will form a layer which attracts plunging seabirds."

He added that the clean-up efforts have been draining. "Recently, I was out there cleaning it up. We are trying to really piece together the timeline and the story for this horrendous event. It’s terrible."

"The pellets are minuscule 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 unachievable mission – helpers have been raking for days, 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 participated in the removal work, stated, "The huge number of polymer pellets that have appeared on this shore risks an environmental catastrophe. These biobeads are lethal to ocean and land animals, and we are already seeing increased mortality among marine species on the coast."

"Local residents are laboring diligently to remove as many beads 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 biobeads, and I’ve asked them to dedicate all available resources to aiding the removal efforts in the meantime."

These pellets are also dangerous to canines as they hold a high number of PAHs, which are known to have carcinogenic properties, and they often contain harmful substances such as heavy metals, antimony, and bromine.

A spokesperson for Southern Water said, "We are collaborating with the regulatory body and district authorities to look into the source of plastic beads which have washed up on Camber Beach. The inquiry is ongoing."

"Local officials is overseeing removal of the beach, using specialists with a specialized machinery to extract the beads. We are additionally assisting with the clean-up."

"We have performed environmental testing on the coast, which has revealed no effect to the aquatic environment. These results has been shared with the local authorities and the Environment Agency."

Regulatory officials has been reached out to for a statement.