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Southern Water is currently investigating after a vast number of polluted polymer pellets were found on Camber Sands beach, raising fears of a possible "environmental catastrophe".

These biobeads could cause severe harm on ocean creatures, according to a local MP, with apprehensions that rare sea life, including coastal birds, small cetaceans, and seals, might consume them and perish.

The area's representative believes the pellets may have been released from a local filtration facility and has sent a letter to the top official, requesting an account.

This coastal area, located in the southeastern region, is a highly popular shoreline, featuring unique sandy ecosystems and expansive areas of golden sand.

Volunteers have been racing against time to remove the beads, collecting multiple sacks with the plastic waste, but the scale of the contamination event is vast, and it is improbable they will be able to remove all of them.

A representative from a plastic pollution campaign group commented over the weekend, "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 appear edible, effectively."

"After ingestion, that’s it: they cannot expel it. They will float on the surface. It will create a slick which draws in plunging seabirds."

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

"The pellets are minuscule that from a a distance, the shoreline looks normal. But as soon as you get close up, you see there are millions black pellets, hidden among marine plants. It’s an unachievable mission – volunteers have been raking for days, and they will keep at it, but we cannot remove every pellet. It is the worst I have ever encountered of a polluted beach."

The local MP, who participated in the removal work, stated, "The immense quantity of plastic beads that have washed up here risks an ecological disaster. These plastic items are lethal 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 beads as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. Southern Water must quickly determine if their local wastewater plants could be the origin of these pellets, and I’ve requested to dedicate all available resources to aiding the removal efforts in the meantime."

These pellets are also dangerous to dogs as they hold a high number of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are recognized for cancer-causing traits, and they often contain harmful substances such as heavy metals, metalloids, and chemical elements.

An official representative for the water company said, "We are working closely with the regulatory body and local council to investigate the cause of plastic beads which have washed up on the shoreline. This investigation work is ongoing."

"The district council is overseeing removal of the beach, using specialists with a specialized machinery to extract the pellets. We are also supporting with the clean-up."

"We’ve conducted environmental testing on the beach, which has revealed no effect to the aquatic environment. This data has been provided with the district council and the regulatory body."

Regulatory officials has been contacted for comment.