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Southern Water is currently investigating after millions of contaminated plastic beads were found on Camber Sands beach, sparking worries of a potential "ecological disaster".

The plastic pellets could have a dire impact on marine life, as stated by a local MP, with concerns that protected marine species, such as coastal birds, small cetaceans, and marine mammals, might ingest them and die.

The area's representative suspects the pellets may have been released from a local filtration facility and has sent a letter to the top official, requesting an account.

This coastal area, situated in the southeastern region, is one of England’s most beloved beaches, featuring unique sandy ecosystems and vast stretches of fine grains.

Volunteers have been racing against time to clear the pellets, filling multiple sacks with the plastic waste, but the scale of the pollution spill is vast, and it is unlikely they will be able to remove all of them.

An expert from a plastic pollution campaign group commented recently, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever seen. It is polluted polymer. Sea creatures will consume tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the sea; they will draw in microorganisms, they will smell like food, in essence."

"After ingestion, that’s it: they can’t get it out. They will remain buoyant. It will create a slick which draws in plunging seabirds."

He added that the clean-up efforts have been draining. "Yesterday, I was on site cleaning it up. We are trying to really piece together the sequence of events and the story for this devastating incident. It’s terrible."

"They are so small that from a a distance, 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 most severe I have ever seen of a contaminated shoreline."

The local MP, who joined the clean-up efforts, stated, "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 already seeing increased mortality among marine species on the beach."

"Community members are working tirelessly to clear away as many pellets as possible, but it’s a race against time. Southern Water 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 supporting the clean-up operation in the meantime."

The beads are additionally hazardous to dogs as they hold a significant amount of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are known to have cancer-causing traits, and they frequently include harmful substances such as lead, antimony, and chemical elements.

A spokesperson for the water company said, "We are collaborating with the regulatory body and district authorities to look into the cause of polymer pellets which have been deposited on the shoreline. The inquiry is still in progress."

"Local officials is overseeing removal of the beach, using trained personnel with a specialized machinery to remove the beads. We are also supporting with the removal process."

"We’ve conducted water-quality sampling on the beach, which has revealed no effect to environmental water quality. These results has been shared with the local authorities and the Environment Agency."

The Environment Agency has been reached out to for a statement.