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Southern Water is conducting an inquiry after millions of contaminated plastic beads appeared on the shoreline at Camber, raising worries of a possible "ecological disaster".

These biobeads could cause severe harm on marine life, according to a regional representative, with apprehensions that protected marine species, including seabirds, porpoises, and seals, might consume them and die.

A local official suspects the pellets may have been spilled from a nearby water treatment centre and has sent a letter to the top official, demanding an explanation.

This coastal area, situated in the southeastern region, is a highly popular shoreline, featuring rare dune habitat and expansive areas of golden sand.

Local helpers have been racing against time to clear the beads, collecting multiple sacks with the synthetic debris, but the scale of the pollution spill is vast, and it is unlikely they will be able to remove all of them.

A representative from a environmental organization remarked over the weekend, "This is the worst pollution event I have ever seen. It is contaminated plastic. Sea creatures will consume tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the sea; they will draw in microorganisms, they will appear edible, in essence."

"After ingestion, there's no turning back: they cannot expel it. They will remain buoyant. It will create a slick which attracts plunging seabirds."

He added that the removal work have been draining. "Yesterday, I was out there removing the debris. We are trying to really piece together the timeline and the story for this devastating incident. 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, hidden among marine plants. It’s an impossible task – volunteers have been working tirelessly, and they will keep at it, but we cannot remove every pellet. It is the worst I have ever seen of a polluted beach."

The elected official, who joined the removal work, stated, "The huge number of polymer pellets that have appeared on this shore risks an environmental catastrophe. These plastic items are lethal to ocean and land animals, and we are already seeing more dead seals, fish and porpoises on the coast."

"Community members 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 source of these biobeads, and I’ve asked them to commit every possible asset to supporting the clean-up operation in the meantime."

These pellets are also dangerous to canines as they hold a high number of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are known to have cancer-causing traits, and they frequently include harmful substances including heavy metals, metalloids, and chemical elements.

An official representative for Southern Water said, "We are working closely with the Environment Agency and district authorities to investigate the source of polymer pellets which have washed up on Camber Beach. The inquiry is still in progress."

"Local officials is leading the clean-up of the shore, using trained personnel with a specialized machinery to remove the pellets. We are also supporting with the clean-up."

"We have performed water-quality sampling on the beach, which has revealed no effect to the aquatic environment. This data has been shared with the local authorities and the Environment Agency."

Regulatory officials has been reached out to for comment.