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The water company is conducting an inquiry after a vast number of polluted polymer pellets were found on the shoreline at Camber, raising fears of a possible "environmental catastrophe".

The plastic pellets could cause severe harm on marine life, according to a regional representative, with apprehensions that protected marine species, such as seabirds, small cetaceans, and seals, might ingest them and die.

The area's representative believes the pellets may have been spilled from a local filtration facility and has written to the top official, requesting an explanation.

Camber Sands, located in East Sussex, is one of England’s most beloved beaches, known for rare dune habitat and expansive areas of fine grains.

Local helpers have been racing against time to clear the pellets, collecting multiple sacks with the plastic waste, but the extent of the pollution spill is immense, and it is unlikely they will be able to clear every piece.

A representative from a plastic pollution campaign group remarked over the weekend, "This is the worst pollution event I have ever witnessed. It is polluted polymer. Marine animals will consume small plastic items once they are in the ocean; they will attract algae, they will smell like food, effectively."

"Once they’ve eaten it, that’s it: they cannot expel it. They will float on the surface. It will form a layer which attracts plunging seabirds."

He added that the clean-up efforts have been exhausting. "Yesterday, I was out there cleaning it up. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the timeline and the details for this devastating incident. 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 dark beads, nestled under seaweed. It’s an unachievable mission – 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 polluted beach."

The local MP, who joined the clean-up efforts, stated, "The huge number of plastic beads that have washed up here threatens an environmental catastrophe. These biobeads are deadly to marine life and wildlife, and we are already seeing more dead seals, fish and porpoises on the coast."

"Community members are laboring diligently to clear away as many beads as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. Southern Water must urgently establish if their nearby treatment facilities could be the source of these pellets, and I’ve requested to dedicate all available resources to aiding the removal efforts in the meantime."

These pellets are additionally hazardous to dogs as they contain a high number of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are known to have carcinogenic properties, and they frequently include harmful substances such as lead, metalloids, and chemical elements.

A spokesperson for Southern Water stated, "We are collaborating with the regulatory body and district authorities to look into the cause of plastic beads which have been deposited on Camber Beach. This investigation work is ongoing."

"The district council is leading the clean-up of the beach, using specialists with a vehicle with suction equipment to remove the beads. We are additionally assisting with the clean-up."

"We have performed water-quality sampling on the beach, which has shown no impact to environmental water quality. This data has been shared with the district council and the Environment Agency."

Regulatory officials has been reached out to for comment.