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Southern Water is currently investigating after millions of contaminated plastic beads appeared on Camber Sands beach, sparking fears of a potential "environmental catastrophe".

These biobeads could have a dire impact on marine life, as stated by a local MP, with apprehensions that rare sea life, including coastal birds, small cetaceans, and marine mammals, might ingest them and perish.

The area's representative suspects the pellets may have been released from a local filtration facility and has written to the top official, demanding an account.

Camber Sands, located in East Sussex, is one of England’s most beloved beaches, featuring unique sandy ecosystems and expansive areas of golden sand.

Local helpers have been racing against time to remove the beads, collecting dozens of bags with the plastic waste, but the extent of the pollution spill is immense, and it is improbable they will be able to remove all of them.

An expert from a plastic pollution campaign group commented recently, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever witnessed. It is polluted polymer. Sea creatures will ingest tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the sea; they will attract algae, they will appear edible, effectively."

"After ingestion, there's no turning back: they cannot expel it. They will float on the surface. It will create a slick which draws in plunging seabirds."

The expert continued that the removal work have been exhausting. "Yesterday, I was out there cleaning it up. We are trying to really piece together the timeline and the details for this horrendous event. It’s awful."

"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 dark beads, nestled under seaweed. It’s an unachievable mission – volunteers have been working tirelessly, and they will keep at it, but we cannot remove every pellet. It is the most severe I have ever encountered of a polluted beach."

The elected official, who joined the clean-up efforts, remarked, "The immense quantity of plastic beads that have washed up here risks an environmental catastrophe. These plastic items are deadly to marine life and wildlife, and we are already seeing more dead seals, fish and porpoises on the coast."

"Local residents are working tirelessly to remove as many pellets as possible, but it’s a race against time. The water company must quickly determine if their nearby treatment facilities could be the source of these pellets, and I’ve requested to dedicate all available resources to supporting the clean-up operation in the interim."

These pellets are additionally hazardous to dogs as they hold a significant amount of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are known to have cancer-causing traits, and they frequently include toxins including heavy metals, antimony, and chemical elements.

A spokesperson for the water company said, "We are collaborating with the Environment Agency and district authorities to investigate the source of plastic beads which have been deposited on the shoreline. The inquiry 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 also supporting with the removal process."

"We’ve conducted environmental testing on the beach, which has shown no impact to environmental water quality. This data has been provided with the local authorities and the Environment Agency."

Regulatory officials has been contacted for a statement.