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Southern Water is conducting an inquiry after a vast number of contaminated plastic beads were found on the shoreline at Camber, raising fears of a potential "environmental catastrophe".

The plastic pellets could cause severe harm on ocean creatures, according to a local MP, with apprehensions that rare sea life, such as coastal birds, small cetaceans, and seals, might ingest them and perish.

The area's representative believes the beads may have been spilled from a nearby water treatment centre and has written to the top official, demanding an explanation.

Camber Sands, situated in East Sussex, is one of England’s most beloved beaches, known for rare dune habitat and vast stretches of fine grains.

Volunteers have been working urgently to clear the beads, filling multiple sacks with the plastic waste, but the extent of the pollution spill is immense, and it is improbable they will be able to remove all of them.

A representative from a plastic pollution campaign group remarked recently, "This represents the most severe contamination incident 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, effectively."

"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 attracts plunging seabirds."

He added that the removal work have been draining. "Yesterday, I was out there cleaning it up. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the sequence of events and the story for this horrendous event. It’s terrible."

"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 millions black pellets, nestled under seaweed. It’s an unachievable mission – helpers have been raking for days, and they will continue to rake, but we cannot remove every pellet. It is the most severe I have ever seen of a polluted beach."

The local MP, who joined the removal work, remarked, "The huge number of plastic beads that have washed up here risks an environmental catastrophe. These biobeads are lethal to marine life and wildlife, 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 urgent effort. The water company must quickly determine if their local wastewater plants could be the origin of these pellets, and I’ve requested to dedicate all available resources to aiding the removal efforts in the meantime."

These pellets are also dangerous to canines as they contain a high number of PAHs, which are recognized for carcinogenic properties, and they often contain harmful substances including lead, metalloids, and bromine.

A spokesperson for the water company 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."

"The district council is leading the clean-up of the shore, using specialists with a vehicle with suction equipment to extract the beads. We are also supporting with the clean-up."

"We’ve conducted environmental testing on the beach, which has revealed no effect to the aquatic environment. This data has been shared with the district council and the regulatory body."

The Environment Agency has been reached out to for comment.