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The water company is conducting an inquiry after millions of contaminated plastic beads appeared on Camber Sands beach, raising worries of a potential "environmental catastrophe".

These biobeads could cause severe harm on ocean creatures, according to a local MP, with concerns that rare sea life, such as seabirds, porpoises, and marine mammals, might consume them and perish.

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, demanding an explanation.

This coastal area, situated in East Sussex, is a highly popular shoreline, known for unique sandy ecosystems and expansive areas of fine grains.

Volunteers have been racing against time to remove the beads, filling multiple sacks with the plastic waste, but the scale of the pollution spill is vast, and it is unlikely they will be able to clear every piece.

A representative from a environmental organization commented recently, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever witnessed. It is contaminated plastic. Marine animals will ingest tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the sea; they will draw in microorganisms, they will smell like food, effectively."

"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. "Recently, I was on site cleaning it up. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the timeline and the story for this devastating incident. It’s awful."

"The pellets are minuscule that from a a distance, the beach looks normal. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are millions dark beads, nestled under seaweed. It’s an impossible task – helpers have been working tirelessly, and they will continue to rake, but we cannot remove every pellet. It is the most severe I have ever seen of a contaminated shoreline."

The local MP, who participated in the removal work, stated, "The huge number of plastic beads that have appeared on this shore threatens an environmental catastrophe. These biobeads are deadly to marine life and wildlife, and we are already seeing increased mortality among marine species on the beach."

"Community members are working tirelessly to remove as many beads as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. Southern Water must urgently establish if their local wastewater plants could be the source of these pellets, and I’ve asked them to dedicate all available resources to aiding the removal efforts in the meantime."

The beads are additionally hazardous to dogs as they contain a significant amount of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are known to have cancer-causing traits, and they frequently include toxins such as lead, antimony, and chemical elements.

A spokesperson for the water company said, "We are collaborating with the regulatory body and district authorities to look into the cause of plastic beads which have washed up on Camber Beach. The inquiry is ongoing."

"The district council is overseeing removal of the beach, using trained personnel with a specialized machinery to remove the beads. We are additionally assisting with the removal process."

"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."

Regulatory officials has been contacted for comment.