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The water company is conducting an inquiry after millions of contaminated plastic beads were found on Camber Sands beach, sparking worries of a potential "environmental catastrophe".

The plastic pellets could cause severe harm on marine life, according to a regional representative, with apprehensions that rare sea life, such as seabirds, small cetaceans, and marine mammals, might ingest them and die.

The area's representative suspects the pellets may have been spilled from a nearby water treatment centre and has sent a letter to the top official, requesting an explanation.

Camber Sands, located in East Sussex, is a highly popular shoreline, known for unique sandy ecosystems and vast stretches of fine grains.

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

A representative from a environmental organization commented over the weekend, "This is the worst pollution event I have ever seen. It is polluted polymer. Marine animals will consume small plastic items once they are in the ocean; they will draw in microorganisms, they will smell like food, effectively."

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

He added that the removal work have been draining. "Recently, I was out there cleaning it up. We are trying to really piece together the timeline and the story for this devastating incident. 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, hidden among marine plants. It’s an impossible task – helpers have been working tirelessly, and they will keep at it, but we cannot remove every pellet. It is the worst I have ever encountered of a polluted beach."

The local MP, who participated in the removal work, stated, "The huge number of polymer pellets that have appeared on this shore threatens an ecological disaster. These plastic items are lethal to marine life and wildlife, and we are already seeing more dead seals, fish and porpoises on the beach."

"Local residents are working tirelessly to clear away as many pellets as possible, but it’s a race against time. The water company must urgently establish if their local wastewater plants could be the source of these biobeads, and I’ve requested to commit every possible asset to aiding the removal efforts in the meantime."

These pellets are also dangerous to dogs as they hold a significant amount of PAHs, which are known to have cancer-causing traits, and they frequently include harmful substances such as lead, metalloids, and chemical elements.

A spokesperson for the water company stated, "We are working closely with the Environment Agency and local council to investigate the source of plastic beads which have been deposited on the shoreline. This investigation work is ongoing."

"The district council is overseeing removal of the beach, using specialists with a specialized machinery to remove the pellets. We are also supporting with the clean-up."

"We have performed water-quality sampling on the coast, which has revealed no effect to environmental water quality. This data has been provided with the district council and the Environment Agency."

Regulatory officials has been reached out to for comment.