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The water company is conducting an inquiry after a vast number of contaminated plastic beads appeared on Camber Sands beach, sparking fears of a possible "ecological disaster".

These biobeads could cause severe harm on ocean creatures, according to a local MP, with concerns that protected marine species, such as coastal birds, porpoises, and seals, might consume them and die.

The area's representative believes the pellets may have been spilled from a local filtration facility and has written to the water company's chief executive, demanding an account.

Camber Sands, located in the southeastern region, is a highly popular shoreline, featuring unique sandy ecosystems and vast stretches of fine grains.

Local helpers have been working urgently to clear the beads, collecting multiple sacks with the plastic waste, but the extent of the pollution spill is immense, and it is unlikely they will be able to remove all of them.

An expert from a plastic pollution campaign group commented over the weekend, "This is the worst pollution event I have ever witnessed. It is polluted polymer. Sea creatures will ingest small plastic items once they are in the ocean; they will draw in microorganisms, they will smell like food, in essence."

"After ingestion, that’s it: they cannot expel it. They will float on the surface. It will create a slick which attracts plunging seabirds."

He added that the removal work have been exhausting. "Yesterday, I was out there removing the debris. We are trying to really piece together the timeline and the story for this horrendous event. It’s terrible."

"They are so small that from a a distance, the beach appears unaffected. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are countless dark beads, nestled under seaweed. It’s an impossible task – 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 joined the removal work, stated, "The huge number of plastic beads that have appeared on this shore risks an environmental catastrophe. These plastic items are deadly to marine life and wildlife, and we are already seeing increased mortality among marine species on the coast."

"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 local wastewater plants could be the origin of these pellets, 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 significant amount of PAHs, which are known to have cancer-causing traits, and they often contain harmful substances such as lead, metalloids, and chemical elements.

A spokesperson for Southern Water said, "We are working closely with the Environment Agency and district authorities to investigate the cause of polymer pellets which have been deposited on Camber Beach. The inquiry is ongoing."

"The district council is overseeing removal of the beach, using trained personnel with a vehicle with suction equipment to extract the pellets. We are additionally assisting with the removal process."

"We’ve conducted water-quality sampling on the beach, which has shown no impact to environmental water quality. This data has been shared with the local authorities and the Environment Agency."

The Environment Agency has been reached out to for comment.