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Southern Water is currently investigating after millions of contaminated plastic beads were found on the shoreline at Camber, raising worries of a possible "ecological disaster".

These biobeads could cause severe harm on marine life, as stated by a regional representative, with apprehensions that rare sea life, including coastal birds, porpoises, and seals, might ingest them and perish.

A local official suspects the beads may have been released from a local filtration facility and has sent a letter to the water company's chief executive, requesting an explanation.

This coastal area, situated in East Sussex, is one of England’s most beloved beaches, known for rare dune habitat and vast stretches of golden sand.

Volunteers have been racing against time to clear the pellets, filling multiple sacks with the plastic waste, but the extent of the pollution spill is vast, and it is unlikely they will be able to remove all of them.

A representative from a plastic pollution campaign group commented recently, "This is the worst pollution event I have ever witnessed. It is contaminated plastic. Marine animals will consume tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the ocean; they will draw in microorganisms, they will appear edible, in essence."

"Once they’ve eaten it, there's no turning back: they cannot expel it. They will float on the surface. It will form a layer which draws in plunging seabirds."

He added that the clean-up efforts have been exhausting. "Recently, I was out there removing the debris. We are trying to really piece together the timeline and the details for this horrendous event. It’s awful."

"The pellets are minuscule that from a a distance, the shoreline appears unaffected. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are countless black pellets, 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 worst I have ever seen of a contaminated shoreline."

The local MP, who participated in the removal work, stated, "The immense quantity of polymer pellets that have appeared on this shore risks an environmental catastrophe. These biobeads are lethal to ocean and land animals, and we are already seeing increased mortality among marine species on the coast."

"Local residents are working tirelessly to remove as many pellets as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. The water company must quickly determine if their local wastewater plants could be the source of these pellets, and I’ve asked them to dedicate all available resources to aiding the removal efforts in the interim."

The beads are additionally hazardous to canines as they hold a high number of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are recognized for cancer-causing traits, and they often contain harmful substances including lead, metalloids, and bromine.

A spokesperson for the water company stated, "We are working closely with the Environment Agency and local council to look into the cause of plastic beads which have been deposited on Camber Beach. The inquiry is ongoing."

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

"We’ve conducted environmental testing on the coast, which has shown no impact to environmental water quality. These results has been shared with the local authorities and the Environment Agency."

Regulatory officials has been reached out to for a statement.