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The water company is conducting an inquiry after millions of contaminated plastic beads were found on Camber Sands beach, sparking fears of a possible "ecological disaster".

The plastic pellets could have a dire impact on ocean creatures, according to a regional representative, with concerns that protected marine species, such as seabirds, porpoises, and seals, might ingest them and perish.

A local official believes the beads may have been spilled from a local filtration facility and has written to the top official, demanding an explanation.

This coastal area, situated in East Sussex, is a highly popular shoreline, featuring unique sandy ecosystems and vast stretches of fine grains.

Volunteers have been working urgently to clear the pellets, collecting dozens of bags with the synthetic debris, but the scale of the pollution spill is immense, and it is improbable they will be able to remove all of them.

A representative from a environmental organization remarked recently, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever seen. It is contaminated plastic. Marine animals will consume small plastic items 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 can’t get it out. They will remain buoyant. It will create a slick which attracts plunging seabirds."

He added that the clean-up efforts have been exhausting. "Yesterday, I was out there removing the debris. 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 a distance, the beach looks normal. But as soon as you get close up, you see there are millions dark beads, nestled under seaweed. It’s an unachievable mission – volunteers have been raking for days, and they will continue to rake, 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, stated, "The immense quantity of polymer pellets that have washed up here risks an environmental catastrophe. These biobeads are deadly to ocean and land animals, and we are already seeing increased mortality among marine species on the beach."

"Community members are laboring diligently to clear away as many beads as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. The water company must urgently establish if their local wastewater plants could be the origin of these biobeads, and I’ve requested to dedicate all available resources to aiding the removal efforts in the interim."

These pellets are also dangerous to dogs as they hold a significant amount of PAHs, which are known to have cancer-causing traits, and they often contain harmful substances such as lead, metalloids, and bromine.

A spokesperson for Southern Water stated, "We are working closely with the regulatory body and local council to look into the cause of plastic beads which have washed up on Camber Beach. The inquiry is still in progress."

"Local officials is leading the clean-up of the beach, using specialists with a specialized machinery to extract the pellets. We are additionally assisting with the removal process."

"We’ve conducted environmental testing on the beach, which has shown no impact to the aquatic environment. These results has been shared with the district council and the Environment Agency."

Regulatory officials has been reached out to for comment.