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Southern Water is conducting an inquiry after a vast number of contaminated plastic beads appeared on the shoreline at Camber, sparking worries of a possible "ecological disaster".

These biobeads could cause severe harm on marine life, as stated by a regional representative, with concerns that rare sea life, such as seabirds, porpoises, and seals, might consume them and die.

The area's representative suspects the pellets may have been spilled from a local filtration facility and has written to the top official, demanding an account.

This coastal area, situated in the southeastern region, is a highly popular shoreline, featuring rare dune habitat and vast stretches of golden sand.

Volunteers have been racing against time to clear the pellets, filling multiple sacks 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.

A representative from a plastic pollution campaign group commented over the weekend, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever seen. It is polluted polymer. Sea creatures will ingest tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the sea; they will attract algae, they will smell like food, effectively."

"Once they’ve eaten it, that’s it: they can’t get it out. They will float on the surface. It will create a slick which draws in plunging seabirds."

The expert continued 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 story for this horrendous event. It’s awful."

"They are so small that from a very long way off, the beach looks normal. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are millions dark beads, nestled under seaweed. 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 encountered of a contaminated shoreline."

The elected official, who participated in the removal work, remarked, "The immense quantity of polymer pellets that have appeared on this shore threatens an environmental catastrophe. These biobeads are deadly to ocean and land animals, and we are observing increased mortality among marine species on the coast."

"Local residents are working tirelessly to clear away as many pellets as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. Southern Water must urgently establish if their nearby treatment facilities could be the origin of these pellets, and I’ve requested to dedicate all available resources to supporting the clean-up operation in the meantime."

These pellets are also dangerous to dogs as they contain a high number of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are recognized for cancer-causing traits, and they frequently include harmful substances including lead, metalloids, and chemical elements.

A spokesperson for the water company stated, "We are collaborating with the regulatory body and district authorities to investigate the source of polymer pellets which have washed up on the shoreline. The inquiry is ongoing."

"Local officials is leading the clean-up of the beach, using trained personnel with a vehicle with suction equipment to remove the beads. We are additionally assisting with the clean-up."

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

Regulatory officials has been contacted for comment.