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Southern Water is conducting an inquiry after millions of polluted polymer pellets were found on Camber Sands beach, raising worries of a potential "environmental catastrophe".

The plastic pellets could have a dire impact on ocean creatures, according to a regional representative, with apprehensions that protected marine species, such as seabirds, small cetaceans, and marine mammals, might ingest them and die.

A local official suspects the pellets may have been released from a local filtration facility and has sent a letter to the top official, requesting an explanation.

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

Local helpers have been racing against time to remove the pellets, filling multiple sacks with the synthetic debris, but the extent of the contamination event is vast, 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 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 appear edible, effectively."

"After ingestion, that’s it: they can’t get it out. They will float on the surface. It will form a layer which attracts plunging seabirds."

He added that the removal work have been draining. "Recently, I was on site removing the debris. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the timeline and the details for this horrendous event. It’s terrible."

"The pellets are minuscule that from a a distance, the beach looks normal. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are countless black pellets, 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 elected official, who participated in the clean-up efforts, remarked, "The immense quantity of plastic beads that have appeared on this shore risks an environmental catastrophe. These biobeads are lethal to ocean and land animals, and we are observing increased mortality among marine species on the beach."

"Community members are laboring diligently to clear away as many pellets as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. The water company must quickly determine if their nearby treatment facilities could be the origin of these biobeads, and I’ve requested to dedicate all available resources to aiding the removal efforts in the interim."

The beads are additionally hazardous to canines as they hold a significant amount of PAHs, which are known to have cancer-causing traits, and they frequently include harmful substances including heavy metals, antimony, and bromine.

An official representative for the water company stated, "We are working closely with the regulatory body and local council to investigate the source of plastic beads which have washed up on Camber Beach. This investigation work is still in progress."

"The district council is leading the clean-up of the beach, using trained personnel with a specialized machinery to remove the pellets. We are also supporting with the clean-up."

"We’ve conducted environmental testing on the coast, which has shown no impact to environmental water quality. This data has been provided with the local authorities and the regulatory body."

The Environment Agency has been contacted for comment.