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The water company is currently investigating after millions of contaminated plastic beads appeared on Camber Sands beach, sparking worries of a potential "environmental catastrophe".

The plastic pellets could have a dire impact on marine life, according to a local MP, with concerns that protected marine species, including coastal birds, small cetaceans, and seals, might consume them and perish.

The area's representative suspects the pellets may have been released from a local filtration facility and has sent a letter to the top official, requesting an account.

This coastal area, situated in East Sussex, is one of England’s most beloved beaches, featuring rare dune habitat and expansive areas of fine grains.

Local helpers have been racing against time to clear the pellets, filling multiple sacks with the plastic waste, but the scale of the pollution spill is vast, and it is improbable they will be able to remove all of them.

A representative from a plastic pollution campaign group commented over the weekend, "This is the worst pollution event I have ever seen. It is contaminated plastic. Marine animals will ingest tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the ocean; they will attract algae, they will appear edible, in essence."

"After ingestion, there's no turning back: they can’t get it out. They will float on the surface. It will form a layer which attracts diving coastal birds."

The expert continued that the clean-up efforts have been draining. "Recently, I was out there cleaning it up. We are trying to really piece together the sequence of events and the details for this devastating incident. It’s terrible."

"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 millions dark beads, nestled under seaweed. It’s an impossible task – volunteers have been raking for days, and they will keep at it, but we cannot remove every pellet. It is the most severe I have ever encountered of a contaminated shoreline."

The local MP, who participated in the removal work, remarked, "The immense quantity of plastic beads that have washed up here threatens an ecological disaster. These plastic items are lethal to ocean and land animals, and we are already seeing increased mortality among marine species on the beach."

"Community members are working tirelessly to remove as many pellets as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. Southern Water must quickly determine if their local wastewater plants could be the origin of these biobeads, and I’ve requested to commit every possible asset to supporting the clean-up operation in the interim."

These pellets are additionally hazardous to canines as they hold a high number of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are known to have carcinogenic properties, and they frequently include toxins including lead, antimony, and chemical elements.

An official representative for Southern Water stated, "We are working closely with the Environment Agency and district authorities to investigate the source of polymer pellets which have washed up on Camber Beach. 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 also supporting with the clean-up."

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

Regulatory officials has been contacted for comment.