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

These biobeads could cause severe harm on marine life, according to a local MP, with apprehensions that protected marine species, such as coastal birds, small cetaceans, and marine mammals, might consume them and die.

A local official suspects the pellets may have been released from a nearby water treatment centre and has written to the top official, requesting an explanation.

This coastal area, located in the southeastern region, is one of England’s most beloved beaches, featuring unique sandy ecosystems and vast stretches of golden sand.

Local helpers have been working urgently to clear the beads, collecting multiple sacks with the plastic waste, but the scale of the pollution spill is immense, and it is improbable they will be able to clear every piece.

An expert from a plastic pollution campaign group remarked recently, "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 attract algae, they will smell like food, effectively."

"Once they’ve eaten it, there's no turning back: they cannot expel it. They will float on the surface. It will form a layer which attracts plunging seabirds."

He added that the clean-up efforts have been draining. "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 awful."

"They are so small that from a very long way off, the shoreline looks normal. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are countless black pellets, nestled under seaweed. It’s an unachievable mission – 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 polluted beach."

The elected official, who joined the removal work, stated, "The huge number of polymer pellets that have washed up here risks an environmental catastrophe. These biobeads are deadly to ocean and land animals, and we are observing increased mortality among marine species on the beach."

"Community members are working tirelessly to clear away as many pellets as possible, but it’s a race against time. The water company must quickly determine if their local wastewater plants could be the origin of these pellets, and I’ve requested to commit every possible asset to aiding the removal efforts in the interim."

The beads are additionally hazardous to dogs as they hold a high number of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are recognized for carcinogenic properties, and they often contain harmful substances including heavy metals, antimony, and bromine.

An official representative for the water company 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 still in progress."

"The district council is leading the clean-up of the shore, using trained personnel with a specialized machinery to extract the pellets. We are also supporting with the clean-up."

"We have performed water-quality sampling on the coast, which has shown no impact to environmental water quality. These results has been provided with the district council and the Environment Agency."

The Environment Agency has been contacted for a statement.