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Southern Water is conducting an inquiry after millions of contaminated plastic beads were found on Camber Sands beach, sparking fears of a possible "environmental catastrophe".

These biobeads could cause severe harm on ocean creatures, as stated by a local MP, with apprehensions that rare sea life, such as coastal birds, small cetaceans, and marine mammals, might consume them and die.

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

Camber Sands, located in East Sussex, is a highly popular shoreline, featuring unique sandy ecosystems and vast stretches of golden sand.

Volunteers have been racing against time to remove the beads, filling dozens of bags with the plastic waste, but the scale of the pollution spill is vast, and it is improbable they will be able to remove all of them.

An expert from a environmental organization commented recently, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever seen. It is contaminated plastic. Sea creatures will ingest small plastic items once they are in the ocean; they will draw in microorganisms, they will appear edible, effectively."

"Once they’ve eaten it, that’s it: they cannot expel it. They will remain buoyant. It will form a layer which draws in diving coastal birds."

The expert continued that the clean-up efforts have been exhausting. "Recently, I was out there cleaning it up. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the sequence of events and the story for this horrendous event. It’s awful."

"The pellets are minuscule that from a a distance, the beach looks normal. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are millions dark beads, nestled under seaweed. It’s an impossible task – volunteers have been raking for days, and they will continue to rake, but we won’t be able to get rid of them all. It is the worst I have ever encountered of a polluted beach."

The elected official, who participated in 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. Southern Water must urgently establish if their nearby treatment facilities could be the origin of these pellets, and I’ve asked them to commit every possible asset to aiding the removal efforts in the meantime."

The beads are additionally hazardous to canines as they contain a high number of PAHs, which are recognized for carcinogenic properties, and they frequently include harmful substances including lead, metalloids, and chemical elements.

A spokesperson for the water company said, "We are working closely with the Environment Agency and district authorities to investigate the source of polymer pellets 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 specialized machinery to extract the pellets. We are also supporting with the removal process."

"We’ve conducted water-quality sampling on the coast, which has shown no impact to the aquatic environment. This data has been shared with the district council and the Environment Agency."

The Environment Agency has been contacted for a statement.