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Southern Water is conducting an inquiry after millions of polluted polymer pellets appeared on the shoreline at Camber, raising worries of a possible "ecological disaster".

These biobeads could have a dire impact on marine life, according to a local MP, with concerns that protected marine species, including coastal birds, porpoises, and seals, might ingest them and perish.

A local official suspects the pellets may have been spilled from a nearby water treatment centre and has sent a letter to the water company's chief executive, demanding an account.

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

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

An expert from a environmental organization commented over the weekend, "This represents the most severe contamination incident 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, in essence."

"After ingestion, that’s it: they can’t get it out. They will remain buoyant. It will form a layer which attracts plunging seabirds."

The expert continued that the removal work have been draining. "Yesterday, I was out there removing the debris. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the timeline and the details for this horrendous event. It’s awful."

"The pellets are minuscule that from a a distance, the shoreline appears unaffected. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are countless dark beads, hidden among marine plants. It’s an unachievable mission – volunteers have been raking for days, and they will keep at it, but we won’t be able to get rid of them all. It is the worst I have ever seen of a contaminated shoreline."

The local MP, who joined the removal work, remarked, "The immense quantity of polymer pellets that have appeared on this shore threatens an ecological disaster. These plastic items are deadly to ocean and land animals, and we are already seeing increased mortality among marine species on the coast."

"Community members are laboring diligently to remove as many pellets as possible, but it’s a race against time. The water company must urgently establish if their nearby treatment facilities could be the origin of these pellets, and I’ve asked them to dedicate all available resources to aiding the removal efforts in the interim."

The beads are also dangerous to dogs as they hold a high number of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are recognized for carcinogenic properties, and they often contain toxins including lead, metalloids, and chemical elements.

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 still in progress."

"The district council is overseeing removal of the shore, using specialists with a specialized machinery to extract the beads. We are also supporting with the removal process."

"We have performed environmental testing on the beach, which has shown no impact to environmental water quality. This data has been provided with the district council and the regulatory body."

Regulatory officials has been contacted for a statement.