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Southern Water is currently investigating after millions of polluted polymer pellets were found on the shoreline at Camber, raising worries of a possible "environmental catastrophe".

These biobeads could cause severe harm on ocean creatures, according to a regional representative, with concerns that protected marine species, including seabirds, porpoises, and seals, might ingest them and die.

A local official believes the beads may have been released from a local filtration facility and has sent a letter to the water company's chief executive, demanding an account.

Camber Sands, located in East Sussex, is one of England’s most beloved beaches, featuring unique sandy ecosystems and vast stretches of fine grains.

Volunteers have been working urgently to remove the pellets, collecting dozens of bags with the plastic waste, but the extent of the pollution spill is vast, and it is improbable they will be able to clear every piece.

An expert from a plastic pollution campaign group commented recently, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever seen. 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, in essence."

"After ingestion, there's no turning back: they cannot expel it. They will float on the surface. It will create a slick which draws in diving coastal birds."

The expert continued that the removal work have been exhausting. "Recently, I was out there cleaning it up. We are trying to really piece together the timeline and the details for this horrendous event. It’s terrible."

"The pellets are minuscule that from a very long way off, the beach appears unaffected. But as soon as you get close up, you see there are millions 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 most severe I have ever seen of a contaminated shoreline."

The local MP, who joined the removal work, stated, "The huge number of polymer pellets that have washed up here threatens an ecological disaster. These plastic items are deadly to ocean and land animals, and we are already seeing more dead seals, fish and porpoises on the beach."

"Community members are laboring diligently to clear away as many pellets as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. The water company must urgently establish if their nearby treatment facilities could be the source of these biobeads, and I’ve requested to commit every possible asset to supporting the clean-up operation in the interim."

The beads are additionally hazardous to canines as they hold a significant amount of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are known to have cancer-causing traits, and they often contain harmful substances including lead, antimony, and bromine.

A spokesperson for Southern Water said, "We are working closely with the regulatory body and district authorities to look into the cause of polymer pellets which have been deposited on the shoreline. The inquiry is still in progress."

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

"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 Environment Agency."

The Environment Agency has been reached out to for a statement.