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

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

A local official suspects the pellets may have been released from a local filtration facility and has written to the top official, requesting an explanation.

This coastal area, located in East Sussex, is a highly popular shoreline, featuring rare dune habitat and vast stretches of golden sand.

Volunteers have been working urgently to remove the beads, collecting dozens of bags with the plastic waste, but the extent of the pollution spill is vast, and it is improbable they will be able to remove all of them.

An expert from a environmental organization remarked recently, "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 sea; they will draw in microorganisms, they will smell like food, in essence."

"Once they’ve eaten it, that’s it: they can’t get it out. They will float on the surface. It will form a layer which draws in plunging seabirds."

The expert continued that the removal work have been exhausting. "Recently, I was on site removing the debris. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the timeline and the story for this horrendous event. It’s awful."

"The pellets are minuscule that from a very long way off, the shoreline appears unaffected. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are countless dark beads, nestled under seaweed. It’s an unachievable mission – volunteers have been raking for days, and they will continue to rake, but we cannot remove every pellet. It is the worst I have ever seen of a polluted beach."

The local MP, who joined 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 ocean and land animals, and we are already seeing more dead seals, fish and porpoises on the beach."

"Local residents are working tirelessly to remove as many beads as possible, but it’s a race against time. Southern Water must urgently establish if their nearby treatment facilities could be the source of these biobeads, and I’ve requested to dedicate all available resources to aiding the removal efforts in the interim."

These pellets are additionally hazardous to dogs as they hold a high number of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are recognized for carcinogenic properties, and they frequently include toxins including lead, antimony, and bromine.

An official representative for Southern Water stated, "We are collaborating with the regulatory body and local council to look into the cause of plastic beads which have washed up on the shoreline. The inquiry is ongoing."

"Local officials is overseeing removal of the shore, using specialists with a vehicle with suction equipment to remove the beads. We are also supporting with the clean-up."

"We have performed environmental testing on the beach, which has revealed no effect to the aquatic environment. This data has been shared with the local authorities and the Environment Agency."

The Environment Agency has been contacted for a statement.