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The water company is currently investigating after a vast number of polluted polymer pellets appeared 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 apprehensions that rare sea life, including coastal birds, porpoises, and seals, might consume them and die.

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

This coastal area, situated in East Sussex, is a highly popular shoreline, featuring rare dune habitat and expansive areas of fine grains.

Local helpers have been working urgently to remove the beads, filling multiple sacks with the plastic waste, but the extent of the pollution spill is vast, and it is improbable they will be able to remove all of them.

A representative from a plastic pollution campaign group commented recently, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever seen. It is contaminated plastic. Sea creatures will consume tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the ocean; they will attract algae, they will appear edible, effectively."

"Once they’ve eaten it, there's no turning back: they can’t get it out. They will remain buoyant. It will form a layer which attracts diving coastal birds."

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 sequence of events and the details for this devastating incident. It’s awful."

"They are so small that from a a distance, the shoreline looks normal. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are countless black pellets, nestled under seaweed. It’s an unachievable mission – helpers have been raking for days, and they will keep at it, but we cannot remove every pellet. It is the worst I have ever seen of a polluted beach."

The local MP, who joined the removal work, remarked, "The immense quantity of plastic beads that have washed up here risks an ecological disaster. These plastic items are deadly to marine life and wildlife, and we are observing increased mortality among marine species on the beach."

"Community members are laboring diligently to clear away as many pellets as possible, but it’s a race against time. The water company must urgently establish if their nearby treatment facilities could be the source of these biobeads, and I’ve asked them to commit every possible asset to aiding the removal efforts in the interim."

The beads are additionally hazardous to canines as they contain a high number of PAHs, which are known to have carcinogenic properties, and they frequently include toxins such as heavy metals, metalloids, and chemical elements.

An official representative for Southern Water said, "We are collaborating with the Environment Agency and district authorities to look into the source of plastic beads which have washed up on the shoreline. The inquiry is still in progress."

"Local officials is overseeing removal of the beach, using specialists with a specialized machinery to remove the pellets. We are also supporting with the removal process."

"We’ve conducted water-quality sampling on the coast, which has shown no impact to the aquatic environment. These results has been shared with the local authorities and the regulatory body."

Regulatory officials has been contacted for comment.