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Southern Water is conducting an inquiry after a vast number of polluted polymer pellets were found on Camber Sands beach, raising worries of a potential "ecological disaster".

The plastic pellets could cause severe harm on ocean creatures, as stated by a regional representative, with concerns that protected marine species, including seabirds, small cetaceans, and marine mammals, might consume them and perish.

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

Camber Sands, situated in the southeastern region, is a highly popular shoreline, featuring rare dune habitat and expansive areas of golden sand.

Volunteers have been working urgently to clear the beads, collecting multiple sacks with the synthetic debris, but the extent of the contamination event is immense, and it is improbable they will be able to remove all of them.

An expert from a plastic pollution campaign group commented over the weekend, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever witnessed. It is polluted polymer. Sea creatures will consume small plastic items once they are in the sea; they will attract algae, they will smell like food, effectively."

"Once they’ve eaten it, there's no turning back: they cannot expel it. They will float on the surface. It will create a slick which attracts plunging seabirds."

The expert continued that the removal work have been draining. "Recently, I was out there cleaning it up. We are trying to accurately reconstruct 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 countless dark beads, nestled under seaweed. 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 most severe I have ever seen of a contaminated shoreline."

The local MP, who participated in the clean-up efforts, stated, "The huge number of plastic beads that have appeared on this shore threatens an environmental catastrophe. These biobeads are lethal to marine life and wildlife, and we are already seeing 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 urgent effort. The water company must urgently establish if their nearby treatment facilities could be the origin of these pellets, and I’ve asked them to dedicate all available resources to supporting the clean-up operation in the meantime."

The beads are also dangerous to canines as they contain a significant amount of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are recognized for carcinogenic properties, and they often contain harmful substances including lead, antimony, and chemical elements.

A spokesperson for Southern Water stated, "We are working closely with the regulatory body and district authorities to investigate the cause of polymer pellets which have been deposited on Camber Beach. This investigation work is ongoing."

"Local officials is leading the clean-up of the shore, using specialists with a specialized machinery to remove the beads. We are additionally assisting with the clean-up."

"We have performed water-quality sampling on the coast, which has revealed no effect to environmental water quality. These results has been provided with the local authorities and the regulatory body."

Regulatory officials has been reached out to for comment.