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

These biobeads could cause severe harm on marine life, as stated by a regional representative, with concerns that protected marine species, such as coastal birds, small cetaceans, and marine mammals, might ingest them and die.

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

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

Volunteers have been racing against time to remove the pellets, filling multiple sacks with the plastic waste, but the extent of the contamination event is immense, and it is improbable they will be able to clear every piece.

An expert from a plastic pollution campaign group commented recently, "This is the worst pollution event I have ever witnessed. It is polluted polymer. Marine animals will consume small plastic items once they are in the ocean; they will attract algae, they will appear edible, in essence."

"Once they’ve eaten it, there's no turning back: they cannot expel it. They will remain buoyant. It will create a slick which draws in plunging seabirds."

He added that the removal work have been draining. "Recently, I was on site cleaning it up. We are trying to really piece together the sequence of events 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 get close up, you see there are millions dark beads, hidden among marine plants. It’s an unachievable mission – volunteers have been raking for days, and they will continue to rake, but we won’t be able to get rid of them all. It is the most severe I have ever encountered of a contaminated shoreline."

The local MP, who joined the removal work, remarked, "The huge number of plastic beads that have washed up here risks an ecological disaster. These biobeads are deadly to ocean and land animals, and we are observing more dead seals, fish and porpoises on the coast."

"Local residents are laboring diligently to clear away as many beads as possible, but it’s a race against time. The water company must urgently establish if their local wastewater plants could be the origin 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 contain a significant amount of PAHs, which are recognized for carcinogenic properties, and they frequently include toxins such as heavy metals, metalloids, and bromine.

A spokesperson for the water company stated, "We are working closely with the regulatory body and district authorities to investigate the source 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 remove the beads. We are additionally assisting with the clean-up."

"We’ve conducted water-quality sampling on the coast, which has shown no impact to the aquatic environment. These results has been provided with the local authorities and the regulatory body."

The Environment Agency has been reached out to for comment.