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Southern Water is conducting an inquiry after millions of contaminated plastic beads appeared on Camber Sands beach, raising worries of a possible "environmental catastrophe".

These biobeads could have a dire impact on marine life, according to a regional representative, with concerns that rare sea life, including seabirds, porpoises, and marine mammals, might consume them and die.

A local official believes the pellets may have been spilled from a nearby water treatment centre and has written to the top official, demanding an account.

This coastal area, located in the southeastern region, is a highly popular shoreline, featuring unique sandy ecosystems and expansive areas of golden sand.

Volunteers have been working urgently to clear the beads, collecting dozens of bags with the plastic waste, but the scale of the pollution spill is vast, and it is unlikely they will be able to clear every piece.

A representative from a environmental organization 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, effectively."

"After ingestion, there's no turning back: they cannot expel it. They will remain buoyant. It will create a slick which attracts diving coastal birds."

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

"The pellets are minuscule that from a a distance, the shoreline looks normal. But as soon as you get close up, you see there are countless black pellets, hidden among marine plants. It’s an impossible task – 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 worst I have ever encountered of a polluted beach."

The elected official, who joined the removal work, remarked, "The immense quantity of polymer pellets 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."

"Community members are laboring diligently to remove as many pellets as possible, but it’s a race against time. Southern Water must urgently establish if their local wastewater plants could be the source of these pellets, and I’ve asked them to commit every possible asset to supporting the clean-up operation in the meantime."

These pellets are also dangerous to canines as they contain a significant amount of PAHs, which are known to have carcinogenic properties, and they often contain 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 investigate the source of plastic beads which have been deposited on the shoreline. The inquiry is ongoing."

"Local officials is overseeing removal 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’ve conducted environmental testing on the coast, which has revealed no effect to environmental water quality. These results has been shared with the district council and the Environment Agency."

Regulatory officials has been contacted for a statement.