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Southern Water is conducting an inquiry after millions of contaminated plastic beads appeared on the shoreline at Camber, raising fears of a possible "environmental catastrophe".

These biobeads could cause severe harm on marine life, according to a regional representative, with concerns that protected marine species, such as seabirds, porpoises, and seals, might ingest them and perish.

The area's representative suspects the beads may have been released from a local filtration facility and has sent a letter to the water company's chief executive, requesting an explanation.

This coastal area, situated in the southeastern region, is one of England’s most beloved beaches, featuring rare dune habitat and expansive areas of golden sand.

Local helpers have been racing against time to clear the pellets, collecting dozens of bags with the plastic waste, but the scale of the pollution spill is immense, and it is improbable they will be able to clear every piece.

A representative from a plastic pollution campaign group commented recently, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever witnessed. It is polluted polymer. Marine animals will ingest small plastic items once they are in the ocean; 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 float on the surface. It will form a layer which draws in diving coastal birds."

He added that the clean-up efforts have been exhausting. "Yesterday, I was out there removing the debris. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the sequence of events and the story for this devastating incident. It’s awful."

"They are so small that from a very long way off, the beach appears unaffected. But as soon as you get close up, you see there are countless black pellets, 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 most severe I have ever seen of a polluted beach."

The local MP, who participated in the clean-up efforts, remarked, "The immense quantity of polymer pellets that have washed up here threatens an ecological disaster. These plastic items are deadly to marine life and wildlife, and we are observing more dead seals, fish and porpoises on the beach."

"Local residents are working tirelessly to remove as many beads as possible, but it’s a race against time. The water company must urgently establish if their nearby treatment facilities could be the source of these biobeads, and I’ve asked them to commit every possible asset to supporting the clean-up operation in the interim."

The beads are also dangerous to dogs as they hold a significant amount of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are recognized for cancer-causing traits, and they often contain harmful substances including heavy metals, antimony, and chemical elements.

An official representative for Southern Water said, "We are working closely with the Environment Agency and district authorities to investigate the source of plastic beads which have been deposited on Camber Beach. The inquiry is ongoing."

"Local officials is leading the clean-up of the shore, 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 coast, which has shown no impact to the aquatic environment. This data has been shared with the local authorities and the regulatory body."

The Environment Agency has been reached out to for comment.