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Southern Water is currently investigating after millions of contaminated plastic beads appeared on Camber Sands beach, sparking worries of a potential "ecological disaster".

These biobeads could have a dire impact on ocean creatures, as stated by a local MP, with concerns that protected marine species, including coastal birds, small cetaceans, and seals, might ingest them and perish.

A local official suspects the beads may have been spilled from a nearby water treatment centre and has sent a letter to the top official, demanding an account.

This coastal area, situated in the southeastern region, is a highly popular shoreline, known for unique sandy ecosystems and vast stretches of fine grains.

Volunteers have been racing against time to remove the beads, filling dozens of bags with the synthetic debris, but the scale of the contamination event is immense, and it is improbable they will be able to clear every piece.

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 attract algae, they will smell like food, effectively."

"After ingestion, there's no turning back: they cannot expel it. They will float on the surface. It will create a slick which draws in plunging seabirds."

He added that the clean-up efforts have been exhausting. "Yesterday, I was on site cleaning it up. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the timeline and the story for this horrendous event. It’s awful."

"They are so small that from a very long way off, the shoreline appears unaffected. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are countless black pellets, hidden among marine plants. It’s an impossible task – 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 worst I have ever seen of a polluted beach."

The elected official, who joined the removal work, stated, "The huge number of polymer pellets that have washed up here risks an ecological disaster. 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 remove 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 origin of these pellets, and I’ve requested to dedicate all available resources to supporting the clean-up operation in the meantime."

These pellets are additionally hazardous to canines as they contain a high number of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are known to have carcinogenic properties, and they often contain harmful substances such as heavy metals, metalloids, and chemical elements.

An official representative for the water company said, "We are working closely with the Environment Agency and local council to investigate the cause of polymer pellets which have been deposited on the shoreline. This investigation work is still in progress."

"Local officials is overseeing removal of the beach, using trained personnel with a specialized machinery to remove the pellets. We are additionally assisting with the removal process."

"We’ve conducted environmental testing on the beach, which has shown no impact to environmental water quality. These results has been shared with the district council and the regulatory body."

The Environment Agency has been contacted for a statement.