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Southern Water is conducting an inquiry after millions of polluted polymer pellets appeared on Camber Sands beach, sparking worries of a potential "environmental catastrophe".

The plastic pellets could cause severe harm on marine life, as stated by a regional representative, with apprehensions that rare sea life, such as coastal birds, porpoises, and seals, 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 top official, requesting an explanation.

Camber Sands, located in East Sussex, is a highly popular shoreline, featuring unique sandy ecosystems and expansive areas of golden sand.

Volunteers have been working urgently to remove the beads, collecting multiple sacks with the plastic waste, but the extent of the contamination event is vast, and it is unlikely they will be able to remove all of them.

An expert from a environmental organization commented recently, "This is the worst pollution event I have ever witnessed. It is polluted polymer. Marine animals will consume tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the ocean; they will draw in microorganisms, they will smell like food, effectively."

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

The expert continued that the removal work have been exhausting. "Yesterday, I was out there cleaning it up. We are trying to really piece together the sequence of events and the details for this devastating incident. It’s awful."

"They are so small that from a very long way off, the shoreline looks normal. But as soon as you get close up, you see there are countless dark beads, nestled under seaweed. It’s an impossible task – helpers have been working tirelessly, and they will continue to rake, but we won’t be able to get rid of them all. It is the most severe I have ever seen of a polluted beach."

The local MP, who joined the clean-up efforts, remarked, "The immense quantity of polymer pellets that have washed up here risks an ecological disaster. These biobeads are lethal to marine life and wildlife, and we are observing more dead seals, fish and porpoises on the beach."

"Community members are working tirelessly to remove as many pellets as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. The water company must quickly determine if their nearby treatment facilities could be the origin of these pellets, and I’ve requested to commit every possible asset to supporting the clean-up operation in the interim."

The beads are additionally hazardous to dogs as they contain a significant amount of PAHs, which are recognized for carcinogenic properties, and they frequently include toxins such as heavy metals, antimony, and chemical elements.

An official representative for Southern Water stated, "We are working closely with the Environment Agency and district authorities to look into the cause of plastic beads which have washed up on Camber Beach. The inquiry is ongoing."

"Local officials is overseeing removal of the shore, using specialists with a vehicle with suction equipment to extract the beads. We are additionally assisting with the clean-up."

"We have performed water-quality sampling on the beach, which has revealed no effect to environmental water quality. These results has been shared with the district council and the Environment Agency."

Regulatory officials has been contacted for comment.