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Southern Water is conducting an inquiry after a vast number of polluted polymer pellets were found on the shoreline at Camber, sparking worries of a possible "environmental catastrophe".

These biobeads could have a dire impact on marine life, as stated by a local MP, with concerns that protected marine species, including seabirds, porpoises, and seals, might ingest them and perish.

A local official believes the pellets may have been released from a local filtration facility and has sent a letter to the water company's chief executive, requesting an account.

This coastal area, located in the southeastern region, is a highly popular shoreline, known for rare dune habitat and vast stretches of golden sand.

Volunteers have been racing against time to clear the beads, filling multiple sacks with the plastic waste, 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 plastic pollution campaign group commented over the weekend, "This is the worst pollution event I have ever seen. It is polluted polymer. Sea creatures will ingest small plastic items once they are in the sea; they will attract algae, they will smell like food, in essence."

"After ingestion, there's no turning back: they can’t get it out. They will remain buoyant. It will form a layer which draws in plunging seabirds."

He added that the clean-up efforts have been draining. "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 very long way off, the beach appears unaffected. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are millions black pellets, nestled under seaweed. It’s an unachievable mission – helpers have been working tirelessly, 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, remarked, "The immense quantity of polymer pellets that have washed up here risks an environmental catastrophe. These biobeads are deadly to marine life and wildlife, and we are observing increased mortality among marine species on the beach."

"Local residents are laboring diligently to remove as many pellets as possible, but it’s a race against time. The water company must urgently establish if their local wastewater plants could be the source of these pellets, and I’ve requested to dedicate all available resources to supporting the clean-up operation in the meantime."

The beads are also dangerous to dogs as they contain a significant amount of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are recognized for cancer-causing traits, and they often contain toxins such as heavy metals, antimony, and chemical elements.

An official representative for the water company stated, "We are collaborating with the Environment Agency and district authorities to look into the cause of plastic beads which have washed up on the shoreline. The inquiry is ongoing."

"The district council is overseeing removal of the shore, 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 shown no impact to environmental water quality. These results has been shared with the district council and the regulatory body."

Regulatory officials has been reached out to for a statement.