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Southern Water is conducting an inquiry after millions of polluted polymer pellets were found on the shoreline at Camber, sparking fears of a possible "environmental catastrophe".

The plastic pellets could have a dire impact on marine life, as stated by a regional representative, with concerns that rare sea life, such as seabirds, porpoises, and marine mammals, might consume them and perish.

A local official believes 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 the southeastern region, is one of England’s most beloved beaches, featuring unique sandy ecosystems and expansive areas of golden sand.

Volunteers have been working urgently to clear the beads, collecting dozens of bags with the synthetic debris, but the extent of the contamination event is immense, and it is unlikely they will be able to remove all of them.

An expert from a plastic pollution campaign group remarked recently, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever seen. It is contaminated plastic. Marine animals will consume small plastic items once they are in the ocean; they will draw in microorganisms, they will smell like food, in essence."

"Once they’ve eaten it, that’s it: they can’t get it out. They will float on the surface. It will form a layer which attracts diving coastal birds."

The expert continued that the clean-up efforts have been exhausting. "Yesterday, I was out there cleaning it up. We are trying to really piece together the timeline and the story for this horrendous event. It’s terrible."

"They are so small that from a very long way off, the shoreline appears unaffected. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are millions black pellets, nestled under seaweed. It’s an impossible task – volunteers 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 contaminated shoreline."

The elected official, who joined the clean-up efforts, remarked, "The immense quantity of polymer pellets that have washed up here threatens an ecological disaster. 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 remove as many beads as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. Southern Water must quickly determine if their local wastewater plants 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."

These pellets are also dangerous to canines as they contain a significant amount of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are recognized for carcinogenic properties, and they frequently include harmful substances including lead, metalloids, and chemical elements.

An official representative for Southern Water said, "We are working closely with the Environment Agency and local council to look into the source 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 pellets. We are additionally assisting with the removal process."

"We have performed water-quality sampling on the coast, which has revealed no effect to environmental water quality. This data has been provided with the local authorities and the Environment Agency."

The Environment Agency has been contacted for a statement.