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Southern Water is conducting an inquiry after a vast number of polluted polymer pellets appeared on Camber Sands beach, raising fears of a possible "ecological disaster".

These biobeads could cause severe harm on ocean creatures, as stated by a local MP, with concerns that rare sea life, including seabirds, porpoises, and seals, might consume them and die.

The area's representative suspects the pellets may have been spilled from a local filtration facility and has sent a letter to the top official, requesting an explanation.

This coastal area, located in the southeastern region, is one of England’s most beloved beaches, known for rare dune habitat and vast stretches of fine grains.

Volunteers have been racing against time to clear the pellets, filling dozens of bags with the plastic waste, but the extent of the contamination event is immense, and it is improbable they will be able to remove all of them.

A representative from a plastic pollution campaign group remarked over the weekend, "This is the worst pollution event I have ever witnessed. It is polluted polymer. Marine animals will consume tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the sea; they will draw in microorganisms, they will appear edible, effectively."

"After ingestion, that’s it: they cannot expel it. They will float on the surface. It will form a layer which draws in plunging seabirds."

He added 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 story for this devastating incident. It’s awful."

"They are so small that from a very long way off, the shoreline appears unaffected. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are millions black pellets, hidden among marine plants. It’s an unachievable mission – helpers have been raking for days, and they will continue to rake, but we cannot remove every pellet. It is the most severe I have ever seen of a contaminated shoreline."

The elected official, who joined the removal work, remarked, "The immense quantity of polymer pellets that have washed up here risks an ecological disaster. These biobeads are lethal to marine life and wildlife, and we are already seeing increased mortality among marine species on the beach."

"Local residents are laboring diligently 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 source of these biobeads, and I’ve asked them to dedicate all available resources to supporting the clean-up operation in the interim."

The beads are also dangerous to dogs as they contain a high number of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are known to have cancer-causing traits, and they often contain toxins including lead, antimony, and chemical elements.

An official representative for Southern Water said, "We are working closely with the regulatory body and local council to look into the cause of polymer pellets which have been deposited on Camber Beach. The inquiry is ongoing."

"Local officials is overseeing removal of the beach, using specialists with a vehicle with suction equipment to extract the beads. We are additionally assisting with the removal process."

"We have performed environmental testing on the coast, which has revealed no effect to the aquatic environment. These results has been provided with the district council and the regulatory body."

The Environment Agency has been contacted for comment.