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Southern Water is conducting an inquiry after millions of contaminated plastic beads appeared on Camber Sands beach, raising worries of a possible "environmental catastrophe".

These biobeads could have a dire impact on ocean creatures, as stated by a local MP, with apprehensions that protected marine species, including coastal birds, porpoises, and marine mammals, might consume them and perish.

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

Camber Sands, located in East Sussex, is one of England’s most beloved beaches, known for unique sandy ecosystems and vast stretches of fine grains.

Local helpers have been working urgently to clear the beads, collecting dozens of bags with the plastic waste, but the extent of the pollution spill is immense, and it is unlikely they will be able to clear every piece.

A representative from a plastic pollution campaign group remarked over the weekend, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever witnessed. It is contaminated plastic. Sea creatures will ingest small plastic items 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 remain buoyant. It will form a layer which attracts plunging seabirds."

The expert continued that the removal work have been exhausting. "Yesterday, I was out there cleaning it up. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the timeline and the details for this horrendous event. It’s awful."

"The pellets are minuscule 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 – helpers 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 contaminated shoreline."

The elected official, who participated in the removal work, remarked, "The immense quantity of polymer pellets that have washed up here risks an ecological disaster. These biobeads are deadly to marine life and wildlife, and we are observing increased mortality among marine species on the coast."

"Community members are working tirelessly to clear away as many pellets as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. The water company must urgently establish if their nearby treatment facilities could be the source of these biobeads, and I’ve asked them to commit every possible asset to aiding the removal efforts in the meantime."

These pellets are also dangerous to dogs as they contain a high number of PAHs, which are recognized for cancer-causing traits, and they often contain toxins including lead, antimony, and chemical elements.

An official representative for Southern Water said, "We are collaborating with the Environment Agency and district authorities to look into the cause of polymer pellets which have washed up on Camber Beach. This investigation work is still in progress."

"Local officials is overseeing removal of the shore, using specialists with a vehicle with suction equipment to remove the pellets. We are additionally assisting with the removal process."

"We’ve conducted environmental testing on the coast, which has shown no impact to the aquatic environment. These results has been provided with the local authorities and the regulatory body."

The Environment Agency has been contacted for a statement.