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The water company is conducting an inquiry after millions of polluted polymer pellets were found on Camber Sands beach, sparking fears of a possible "environmental catastrophe".

The plastic pellets could cause severe harm on ocean creatures, as stated by a regional representative, with concerns that protected marine species, such as seabirds, small cetaceans, and marine mammals, might ingest them and die.

The area's representative suspects the beads may have been spilled from a local filtration facility and has written to the water company's chief executive, requesting an account.

Camber Sands, located in the southeastern region, is a highly popular shoreline, known for unique sandy ecosystems and expansive areas of fine grains.

Local helpers have been working urgently to remove the pellets, collecting dozens of bags with the synthetic debris, but the scale of the pollution spill is immense, and it is unlikely they will be able to clear every piece.

An expert from a plastic pollution campaign group remarked over the weekend, "This is the worst pollution event I have ever witnessed. It is polluted polymer. Marine animals will consume small plastic items once they are in the sea; they will attract algae, 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 attracts plunging seabirds."

He added that the removal work have been exhausting. "Recently, I was out there cleaning it up. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the sequence of events and the details for this horrendous event. It’s terrible."

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

The elected official, who joined the clean-up efforts, stated, "The immense quantity of plastic beads that have washed up here risks an ecological disaster. These plastic items are lethal to marine life and wildlife, and we are observing more dead seals, fish and porpoises on the coast."

"Local residents are laboring diligently to remove as many beads as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. Southern Water must quickly determine if their local wastewater plants could be the origin of these pellets, and I’ve asked them to dedicate all available resources to aiding the removal efforts in the meantime."

These pellets are additionally hazardous to dogs as they hold a high number of PAHs, which are known to have cancer-causing traits, and they often contain harmful substances such as heavy metals, antimony, and chemical elements.

An official representative for Southern Water stated, "We are collaborating with the Environment Agency and district authorities to investigate the source of plastic beads which have washed up on the shoreline. This investigation work 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 also supporting with the removal process."

"We have performed water-quality sampling on the coast, which has revealed no effect to environmental water quality. This data has been shared with the district council and the regulatory body."

Regulatory officials has been contacted for comment.