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The water company is currently investigating after millions of polluted polymer pellets appeared on Camber Sands beach, raising worries of a potential "ecological disaster".

These biobeads could have a dire impact on marine life, as stated by a local MP, with apprehensions that rare sea life, including seabirds, porpoises, and marine mammals, might consume them and perish.

The area's representative suspects the pellets may have been spilled from a nearby water treatment centre and has sent a letter to the top official, requesting an explanation.

This coastal area, located in the southeastern region, is a highly popular shoreline, known for rare dune habitat and vast stretches of fine grains.

Local helpers have been racing against time to clear the pellets, collecting dozens of bags with the synthetic debris, but the scale of the contamination event is vast, and it is improbable they will be able to clear every piece.

A representative from a plastic pollution campaign group remarked recently, "This is the worst pollution event I have ever seen. It is polluted polymer. Marine animals will consume tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the ocean; they will attract algae, they will appear edible, in essence."

"After ingestion, there's no turning back: they cannot expel it. They will float on the surface. It will create a slick which draws in diving coastal birds."

He added that the clean-up efforts have been exhausting. "Yesterday, I was on site cleaning it up. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the timeline and the details for this horrendous event. It’s awful."

"They are so small that from a a distance, the shoreline looks normal. But as soon as you get close up, you see there are countless dark beads, nestled under seaweed. It’s an impossible task – helpers 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 polluted beach."

The local MP, who participated in the clean-up efforts, stated, "The huge number of polymer pellets that have appeared on this shore threatens an ecological disaster. These biobeads are lethal to marine life and wildlife, and we are already seeing increased mortality among marine species on the beach."

"Local residents are working tirelessly to remove as many pellets as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. Southern Water must quickly determine if their local wastewater plants could be the origin of these pellets, and I’ve requested to commit every possible asset to aiding the removal efforts in the interim."

The beads are additionally hazardous to dogs as they contain a significant amount of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are known to have carcinogenic properties, and they frequently include toxins such as lead, antimony, and chemical elements.

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

"Local officials is overseeing removal of the beach, using trained personnel with a vehicle with suction equipment to extract the beads. We are also supporting with the clean-up."

"We have performed environmental testing on the coast, which has revealed no effect to the aquatic environment. This data has been provided with the local authorities and the regulatory body."

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