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Southern Water is conducting an inquiry after millions of polluted polymer pellets were found on the shoreline at Camber, sparking fears of a potential "ecological disaster".

The plastic pellets could cause severe harm on ocean creatures, as stated by a local MP, with concerns that rare sea life, such as seabirds, porpoises, and marine mammals, might ingest them and perish.

A local official believes the beads may have been released from a nearby water treatment centre and has written to the top official, demanding an explanation.

This coastal area, located in East Sussex, is one of England’s most beloved beaches, known for rare dune habitat and expansive areas of golden sand.

Volunteers have been racing against time to clear the beads, filling dozens of bags with the plastic waste, but the scale of the pollution spill is vast, and it is unlikely 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 seen. It is contaminated plastic. Sea creatures will ingest small plastic items once they are in the sea; they will draw in microorganisms, they will smell like food, effectively."

"Once they’ve eaten it, there's no turning back: they can’t get it out. They will remain buoyant. It will create a slick which attracts plunging seabirds."

The expert continued that the removal work have been draining. "Yesterday, I was out there removing the debris. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the sequence of events and the details for this devastating incident. It’s awful."

"The pellets are minuscule that from a a distance, the beach looks normal. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are millions black pellets, hidden among marine plants. It’s an unachievable mission – volunteers have been raking for days, and they will keep at it, but we won’t be able to get rid of them all. 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 plastic beads that have washed up here 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 beach."

"Local residents are working tirelessly to remove as many beads as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. Southern Water 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 interim."

These pellets are additionally hazardous to canines as they contain a significant amount of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are recognized for carcinogenic properties, and they often contain toxins such as heavy metals, metalloids, and chemical elements.

An official representative for the water company stated, "We are collaborating with the Environment Agency and district authorities to investigate the source of polymer pellets which have washed up on the shoreline. This investigation work is still in progress."

"Local officials is overseeing removal of the shore, using trained personnel with a specialized machinery to extract the beads. We are additionally assisting with the removal process."

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

Regulatory officials has been reached out to for comment.