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Southern Water is currently investigating after millions of polluted polymer pellets appeared on Camber Sands beach, sparking fears of a potential "ecological disaster".

The plastic pellets could cause severe harm on marine life, according to a local MP, with apprehensions that rare sea life, such as coastal birds, small cetaceans, and marine mammals, might consume them and die.

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

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

Volunteers have been racing against time to clear the pellets, collecting multiple sacks with the synthetic debris, but the extent of the contamination event is vast, and it is improbable they will be able to clear every piece.

An expert from a environmental organization commented over the weekend, "This is the worst pollution event I have ever seen. It is contaminated plastic. Marine animals will consume tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the sea; they will draw in microorganisms, they will smell like food, 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 attracts plunging seabirds."

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

"They are so small that from a a distance, the beach appears unaffected. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are countless black pellets, hidden among marine plants. It’s an impossible task – helpers have been raking for days, and they will keep at it, but we cannot remove every pellet. It is the worst I have ever encountered of a contaminated shoreline."

The local MP, who joined the removal work, remarked, "The immense quantity of polymer pellets that have washed up here threatens an ecological disaster. These plastic items are lethal to ocean and land animals, and we are observing more dead seals, fish and porpoises on the beach."

"Local residents are working tirelessly to remove as many beads as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. Southern Water must quickly determine if their nearby treatment facilities could be the origin of these biobeads, and I’ve asked them to dedicate all available resources to aiding the removal efforts in the meantime."

The beads are also dangerous to canines as they contain a significant amount of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are recognized for carcinogenic properties, and they often contain harmful substances such as heavy metals, metalloids, and bromine.

A spokesperson for the water company said, "We are working closely with the regulatory body and district authorities to investigate the source of plastic beads which have been deposited on Camber Beach. The inquiry is ongoing."

"The district council is overseeing removal of the shore, using trained personnel with a specialized machinery to extract the pellets. We are additionally assisting with the clean-up."

"We have performed 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 contacted for comment.