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Southern Water is conducting an inquiry after millions of polluted polymer pellets appeared on Camber Sands beach, raising fears of a potential "ecological disaster".

These biobeads could cause severe harm on ocean creatures, as stated by a regional representative, with concerns that rare sea life, such as seabirds, small cetaceans, and seals, might consume them and perish.

The area's representative suspects the beads may have been spilled from a nearby water treatment centre and has sent a letter to the water company's chief executive, demanding an account.

This coastal area, situated in East Sussex, is a highly popular shoreline, featuring unique sandy ecosystems and expansive areas of golden sand.

Volunteers have been working urgently to clear the pellets, filling dozens of bags 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 remarked over the weekend, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever witnessed. It is contaminated plastic. Sea creatures will ingest small plastic items once they are in the sea; they will attract algae, they will smell like food, in essence."

"After ingestion, there's no turning back: they can’t get it out. They will float on the surface. It will form a layer which draws in plunging seabirds."

The expert continued that the clean-up efforts have been exhausting. "Recently, I was on site removing the debris. We are trying to accurately reconstruct 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, 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 most severe I have ever seen of a polluted beach."

The local MP, who participated in the clean-up efforts, stated, "The immense quantity of polymer pellets that have washed up here 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 coast."

"Local residents are laboring diligently to clear away as many beads as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. Southern Water must urgently establish if their local wastewater plants could be the origin of these pellets, and I’ve asked them to dedicate all available resources to supporting the clean-up operation 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 cancer-causing traits, and they often contain toxins such as lead, antimony, and bromine.

A spokesperson for the water company said, "We are collaborating with the Environment Agency and district authorities to investigate the cause of polymer pellets which have washed up on the shoreline. This investigation work is ongoing."

"Local officials is overseeing removal of the beach, using trained personnel with a vehicle with suction equipment to remove the beads. We are additionally assisting with the removal process."

"We’ve conducted water-quality sampling on the beach, which has revealed no effect to environmental water quality. These results has been provided with the local authorities and the regulatory body."

Regulatory officials has been contacted for comment.