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Southern Water is currently investigating after millions of contaminated plastic beads appeared on Camber Sands beach, raising fears of a possible "ecological disaster".

The plastic pellets could have a dire impact on marine life, as stated by a regional representative, with concerns that rare sea life, including coastal birds, small cetaceans, and marine mammals, might consume them and perish.

A local official suspects the pellets may have been released from a local filtration facility and has written to the water company's chief executive, requesting an explanation.

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

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

A representative from a environmental organization remarked recently, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever seen. It is polluted polymer. Marine animals will consume small plastic items once they are in the ocean; they will attract algae, they will smell like food, in essence."

"Once they’ve eaten it, there's no turning back: they can’t get it out. They will float on the surface. It will form a layer which draws in plunging seabirds."

The expert continued that the clean-up efforts have been draining. "Yesterday, I was on site removing the debris. We are trying to really piece together the sequence of events and the story for this devastating incident. It’s awful."

"They are so small that from a a distance, the beach looks normal. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are millions dark beads, hidden among marine plants. It’s an impossible task – volunteers have been working tirelessly, and they will keep at it, but we won’t be able to get rid of them all. It is the worst I have ever encountered of a contaminated shoreline."

The local MP, who participated in the clean-up efforts, remarked, "The immense quantity of plastic beads that have appeared on this shore threatens an environmental catastrophe. These plastic items are lethal to ocean and land animals, and we are already seeing more dead seals, fish and porpoises on the coast."

"Community members are laboring diligently to clear away as many beads as possible, but it’s a race against time. The water company must quickly determine 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."

These pellets are additionally hazardous to dogs as they hold a high number of PAHs, which are known to have carcinogenic properties, and they frequently include toxins including lead, metalloids, and bromine.

An official representative for the water company said, "We are working closely with the Environment Agency and local council to investigate the cause of polymer pellets which have washed up on Camber Beach. This investigation work is still in progress."

"Local officials is overseeing removal of the shore, using specialists with a specialized machinery to remove the pellets. We are also supporting with the clean-up."

"We’ve conducted water-quality sampling on the beach, which has revealed no effect to environmental water quality. These results has been provided with the district council and the Environment Agency."

The Environment Agency has been reached out to for comment.