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Southern Water is conducting an inquiry after millions of contaminated plastic beads were found on Camber Sands beach, sparking worries of a possible "environmental catastrophe".

The plastic pellets could cause severe harm on marine life, as stated by a regional representative, with apprehensions that rare sea life, including coastal birds, porpoises, and marine mammals, might ingest them and perish.

A local official suspects the beads may have been spilled from a nearby water treatment centre and has sent a letter to the water company's chief executive, demanding an account.

Camber Sands, located in the southeastern region, is a highly popular shoreline, featuring rare dune habitat and vast stretches of fine grains.

Local helpers have been working urgently to remove the pellets, collecting multiple sacks with the plastic waste, but the extent of the contamination event is immense, and it is improbable they will be able to remove all of them.

A representative from a environmental organization commented recently, "This is the worst pollution event I have ever witnessed. It is polluted polymer. Sea creatures will ingest tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the sea; they will attract algae, they will appear edible, effectively."

"After ingestion, there's no turning back: they cannot expel it. They will remain buoyant. It will form a layer which attracts plunging seabirds."

The expert continued that the clean-up efforts have been draining. "Yesterday, I was out there cleaning it up. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the timeline and the story for this devastating incident. It’s awful."

"They are so small that from a a distance, the beach appears unaffected. But as soon as you get close up, you see there are millions dark beads, hidden among marine plants. It’s an impossible task – helpers have been working tirelessly, 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 elected official, who joined the clean-up efforts, remarked, "The huge number of polymer pellets that have washed up here risks an ecological disaster. These plastic items are lethal to ocean and land animals, and we are observing increased mortality among marine species on the beach."

"Local residents are laboring diligently to remove 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 pellets, and I’ve asked them to dedicate all available resources to aiding the removal efforts in the interim."

The beads are also dangerous to dogs as they contain a significant amount of PAHs, which are known to have carcinogenic properties, and they frequently include toxins including heavy metals, antimony, and bromine.

An official representative for Southern Water said, "We are working closely with the Environment Agency and local council to look into the source of polymer pellets which have been deposited on Camber Beach. This investigation work is ongoing."

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

"We’ve conducted water-quality sampling on the coast, 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 reached out to for comment.