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

These biobeads could have a dire impact on marine life, according to a local MP, with apprehensions that protected marine species, such as coastal birds, porpoises, and seals, might ingest them and perish.

A local official suspects the beads may have been released from a nearby water treatment centre and has sent a letter to the top official, requesting an explanation.

This coastal area, located in the southeastern region, is one of England’s most beloved beaches, featuring rare dune habitat and vast stretches of fine grains.

Volunteers have been working urgently to clear the pellets, collecting multiple sacks with the synthetic debris, but the scale of the pollution spill is immense, and it is improbable they will be able to remove all of them.

A representative from a environmental organization remarked recently, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever seen. It is contaminated plastic. Marine animals will ingest tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the ocean; they will draw in microorganisms, they will appear edible, in essence."

"Once they’ve eaten it, that’s it: they can’t get it out. They will remain buoyant. It will form a layer which attracts diving coastal birds."

The expert continued that the clean-up efforts have been draining. "Yesterday, I was on site cleaning it up. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the sequence of events and the details for this horrendous event. It’s awful."

"They are so small that from a very long way off, the beach appears unaffected. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are millions black pellets, nestled under seaweed. It’s an unachievable mission – helpers have been raking for days, and they will continue to rake, but we cannot remove every pellet. It is the worst I have ever encountered of a polluted beach."

The elected official, who participated in the clean-up efforts, stated, "The huge number of polymer pellets that have washed up here risks an environmental catastrophe. These biobeads are lethal to ocean and land animals, and we are observing more dead seals, fish and porpoises on the coast."

"Community members are working tirelessly to remove 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 requested to dedicate all available resources to supporting the clean-up operation in the meantime."

The beads are also dangerous to dogs as they contain a high number of PAHs, which are known to have carcinogenic properties, and they often contain toxins such as lead, antimony, and chemical elements.

An official representative for Southern Water stated, "We are working closely with the regulatory body and district authorities to investigate the source of polymer pellets which have been deposited on the shoreline. This investigation work is still in progress."

"The district council is overseeing removal of the beach, using trained personnel with a specialized machinery to remove the beads. We are additionally assisting with the removal process."

"We’ve conducted water-quality sampling on the beach, which has shown no impact to the aquatic environment. These results has been provided with the local authorities and the Environment Agency."

The Environment Agency has been contacted for comment.