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Southern Water is conducting an inquiry after a vast number of polluted polymer pellets were found on the shoreline at Camber, sparking worries of a potential "ecological disaster".

These biobeads could have a dire impact on ocean creatures, according to a local MP, with apprehensions that rare sea life, including coastal birds, porpoises, and seals, might consume them and perish.

A local official suspects the pellets may have been spilled from a local filtration facility and has sent a letter to the top official, requesting an explanation.

This coastal area, situated in East Sussex, is a highly popular shoreline, featuring rare dune habitat and vast stretches of fine grains.

Volunteers have been working urgently to remove the beads, filling multiple sacks with the synthetic debris, but the extent 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 remarked over the weekend, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever seen. It is polluted polymer. Sea creatures 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, there's no turning back: they cannot expel it. They will remain buoyant. It will form a layer which attracts plunging seabirds."

The expert continued that the removal work have been draining. "Recently, I was on site removing the debris. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the sequence of events and the details for this devastating incident. It’s terrible."

"The pellets are minuscule that from a very long way off, 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 continue to rake, but we cannot remove every pellet. It is the most severe I have ever encountered of a polluted beach."

The elected official, who participated in the clean-up efforts, stated, "The immense quantity of plastic beads that have appeared on this shore threatens an environmental catastrophe. These plastic items are deadly to marine life and wildlife, and we are already seeing increased mortality among marine species on the beach."

"Local residents are laboring diligently to clear away as many beads as possible, but it’s a race against time. The water company must quickly determine if their nearby treatment facilities could be the origin of these biobeads, and I’ve requested to commit every possible asset to supporting the clean-up operation in the interim."

The beads are additionally hazardous to canines as they hold a high number of PAHs, which are recognized for cancer-causing traits, and they frequently include harmful substances including lead, antimony, and bromine.

A spokesperson for the water company stated, "We are working closely with the regulatory body and district authorities to investigate the cause of plastic beads which have been deposited on the shoreline. The inquiry is still in progress."

"The district council is leading the clean-up of the shore, using trained personnel with a vehicle with suction equipment to extract the beads. We are additionally assisting with the clean-up."

"We have performed environmental testing on the coast, 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.