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Southern Water is currently investigating after a vast number of polluted polymer pellets were found on the shoreline at Camber, raising fears of a possible "ecological disaster".

These biobeads could cause severe harm on marine life, as stated by a regional representative, with concerns that rare sea life, including seabirds, porpoises, and marine mammals, might consume them and perish.

A local official suspects the pellets may have been spilled from a nearby water treatment centre and has sent a letter to the water company's chief executive, requesting an account.

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

Volunteers have been racing against time to remove the beads, filling multiple sacks with the plastic waste, 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 plastic pollution campaign group commented recently, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever seen. It is polluted polymer. Sea creatures will ingest tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the sea; they will attract algae, they will smell like food, in essence."

"After ingestion, there's no turning back: they can’t get it out. They will remain buoyant. It will create a slick which attracts diving coastal birds."

He added that the removal work have been draining. "Yesterday, I was on site cleaning it up. We are trying to really piece together the timeline and the details for this horrendous event. 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 countless dark beads, hidden among marine plants. It’s an impossible task – volunteers have been working tirelessly, and they will keep at it, but we cannot remove every pellet. It is the worst I have ever seen of a polluted beach."

The local MP, who participated in the removal work, remarked, "The huge number of plastic beads that have appeared on this shore risks an ecological disaster. These plastic items are deadly to marine life and wildlife, and we are already seeing more dead seals, fish and porpoises on the coast."

"Local residents are laboring diligently to remove 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 source of these biobeads, and I’ve asked them to commit every possible asset to supporting the clean-up operation in the meantime."

The beads are additionally hazardous to dogs as they hold a significant amount of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are known to have carcinogenic properties, and they frequently include toxins such as heavy metals, metalloids, and chemical elements.

An official representative for Southern Water stated, "We are collaborating with the regulatory body and district authorities to investigate the cause of plastic beads which have been deposited on Camber Beach. The inquiry is still in progress."

"The district council is overseeing removal of the shore, using specialists with a vehicle with suction equipment to extract the beads. We are additionally assisting with the removal process."

"We’ve conducted environmental testing on the coast, which has shown no impact to the aquatic environment. These results has been provided with the district council and the Environment Agency."

The Environment Agency has been contacted for comment.