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The water company is conducting an inquiry after millions of contaminated plastic beads were found on the shoreline at Camber, sparking fears of a possible "environmental catastrophe".

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

The area's representative believes the pellets may have been released from a local filtration facility and has written to the water company's chief executive, requesting an account.

This coastal area, located in the southeastern region, is one of England’s most beloved beaches, known for rare dune habitat and vast stretches of fine grains.

Local helpers have been racing against time to clear the beads, collecting multiple sacks 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.

An expert from a environmental organization remarked over the weekend, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever seen. It is polluted polymer. Marine animals will ingest small plastic items once they are in the sea; they will attract algae, they will appear edible, in essence."

"Once they’ve eaten it, 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 removal work have been draining. "Recently, I was on site cleaning it up. We are trying to really piece together the timeline and the story for this horrendous event. It’s awful."

"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 countless black pellets, hidden among marine plants. It’s an impossible task – volunteers have been raking for days, and they will continue to rake, but we cannot remove every pellet. It is the worst I have ever encountered of a contaminated shoreline."

The local MP, who joined the clean-up efforts, stated, "The huge number of plastic beads that have appeared on this shore threatens an ecological disaster. These biobeads are deadly to ocean and land animals, and we are observing more dead seals, fish and porpoises on the coast."

"Local residents are laboring diligently to clear away as many pellets as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. Southern Water must quickly determine 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 additionally hazardous to dogs as they hold a high number of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are recognized for cancer-causing traits, and they often contain harmful substances such as lead, antimony, and chemical elements.

An official representative for Southern Water said, "We are working closely with the regulatory body and local council to look into the cause of plastic beads which have washed up on the shoreline. This investigation work is still in progress."

"Local officials is overseeing removal of the beach, using specialists with a vehicle with suction equipment to remove the pellets. We are additionally assisting with the clean-up."

"We have performed environmental testing on the beach, which has shown no impact to environmental water quality. This data has been provided with the district council and the regulatory body."

The Environment Agency has been reached out to for comment.