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The water company is conducting an inquiry after a vast number of polluted polymer pellets appeared on the shoreline at Camber, raising worries of a potential "environmental catastrophe".

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

The area's representative suspects the pellets may have been released from a nearby water treatment centre and has sent a letter to the water company's chief executive, requesting an explanation.

Camber Sands, 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 remove the pellets, collecting multiple sacks with the plastic waste, but the scale of the pollution spill is immense, and it is unlikely 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 seen. It is polluted polymer. Sea creatures will consume tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the ocean; 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 create a slick which attracts plunging seabirds."

He added that the removal work have been exhausting. "Recently, I was on site cleaning it up. We are trying to really piece together the timeline and the story for this horrendous event. It’s awful."

"The pellets are minuscule that from a very long way off, the shoreline appears unaffected. But as soon as you get close up, you see there are millions dark beads, hidden among marine plants. It’s an unachievable mission – helpers have been working tirelessly, and they will keep at it, but we cannot remove every pellet. It is the most severe I have ever seen of a polluted beach."

The local MP, who participated in the removal work, remarked, "The huge number of polymer pellets that have washed up here risks an environmental catastrophe. These plastic items are deadly to ocean and land animals, and we are already seeing increased mortality among marine species on the coast."

"Community members are laboring diligently to remove as many pellets as possible, but it’s a race against time. Southern Water must urgently establish if their local wastewater plants could be the origin of these pellets, and I’ve requested to commit every possible asset to supporting the clean-up operation in the meantime."

The beads are also dangerous to canines as they contain a significant amount of PAHs, which are known to have carcinogenic properties, and they frequently include toxins including lead, metalloids, and chemical elements.

A spokesperson for Southern Water stated, "We are collaborating 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 overseeing removal of the shore, using trained personnel with a vehicle with suction equipment to remove the pellets. We are additionally assisting with the removal process."

"We have performed environmental testing on the beach, which has revealed no effect to the aquatic environment. These results has been provided with the district council and the regulatory body."

The Environment Agency has been reached out to for a statement.