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The water company is conducting an inquiry after a vast number of polluted polymer pellets were found on the shoreline at Camber, sparking worries of a possible "environmental catastrophe".

The plastic pellets could cause severe harm on marine life, according to a local MP, with concerns that rare sea life, including coastal birds, porpoises, and seals, might ingest them and perish.

The area's representative suspects the pellets may have been released from a nearby water treatment centre and has sent a letter to the water company's chief executive, demanding an explanation.

This coastal area, situated in East Sussex, is a highly popular shoreline, featuring rare dune habitat and vast stretches of fine grains.

Volunteers have been racing against time to remove the beads, filling dozens of bags with the synthetic debris, but the scale of the contamination event is immense, and it is unlikely they will be able to clear every piece.

An expert from a environmental organization commented recently, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever witnessed. It is polluted polymer. Sea creatures will ingest tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the ocean; they will attract algae, they will smell like food, effectively."

"Once they’ve eaten it, that’s it: they cannot expel it. They will float on the surface. It will create a slick which draws in diving coastal birds."

He added that the clean-up efforts have been exhausting. "Yesterday, I was on site cleaning it up. We are trying to really piece together the sequence of events and the details 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 get close up, you see there are millions black pellets, nestled under seaweed. 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 seen 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 risks an environmental catastrophe. These biobeads are deadly to marine life and wildlife, and we are already seeing increased mortality among marine species on the coast."

"Community members are laboring diligently to clear away 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 pellets, and I’ve requested to dedicate all available resources to supporting the clean-up operation in the meantime."

The beads are also dangerous to dogs as they hold a high number of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are recognized for cancer-causing traits, and they often contain harmful substances such as lead, antimony, and bromine.

A spokesperson for the water company stated, "We are collaborating with the regulatory body and district authorities to look into the cause of polymer pellets which have been deposited on Camber Beach. This investigation work is ongoing."

"Local officials is leading the clean-up of the shore, using specialists with a specialized machinery to remove the pellets. We are also supporting with the clean-up."

"We have performed environmental testing on the beach, which has shown no impact to environmental water quality. This data has been provided with the local authorities and the Environment Agency."

Regulatory officials has been reached out to for a statement.