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The water company is currently investigating after millions of polluted polymer pellets appeared on the shoreline at Camber, sparking worries of a possible "environmental catastrophe".

These biobeads could cause severe harm on marine life, as stated by a local MP, with apprehensions that protected marine species, including coastal birds, small cetaceans, and seals, might ingest them and die.

A local official suspects the pellets may have been released from a local filtration facility and has written to the water company's chief executive, demanding an account.

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

Volunteers have been working urgently to clear the beads, collecting dozens of bags with the plastic waste, but the extent of the contamination event is vast, and it is unlikely they will be able to clear every piece.

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

"Once they’ve eaten it, there's no turning back: they cannot expel it. They will remain buoyant. It will create a slick which draws in diving coastal birds."

He added 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 details for this devastating incident. It’s terrible."

"They are so small that from a very long way off, the beach looks normal. But as soon as you get close up, you see there are countless black pellets, hidden among marine plants. It’s an unachievable mission – helpers have been raking for days, and they will continue to rake, but we cannot remove every pellet. It is the most severe I have ever encountered of a polluted beach."

The local MP, who joined the removal work, remarked, "The huge number of plastic beads that have washed up here risks an ecological disaster. These plastic items are deadly to ocean and land animals, and we are already seeing more dead seals, fish and porpoises on the beach."

"Community members are laboring diligently to clear away as many pellets 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 requested to commit every possible asset to supporting the clean-up operation in the meantime."

These pellets are also dangerous to dogs as they contain a high number of PAHs, which are recognized for carcinogenic properties, and they often contain toxins such as heavy metals, antimony, and bromine.

An official representative for Southern Water stated, "We are working closely with the regulatory body and local council to look into the cause of polymer pellets which have been deposited on Camber Beach. This investigation work is ongoing."

"Local officials is leading the clean-up of the beach, using trained personnel with a vehicle with suction equipment to extract the beads. 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. These results has been shared with the local authorities and the regulatory body."

The Environment Agency has been reached out to for comment.