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Southern Water is currently investigating after millions of contaminated plastic beads were found on the shoreline at Camber, sparking fears of a potential "environmental catastrophe".

The plastic pellets could cause severe harm on ocean creatures, according to a local MP, with apprehensions that protected marine species, such as seabirds, small cetaceans, and seals, might ingest them and die.

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

Camber Sands, located in the southeastern region, is one of England’s most beloved beaches, featuring unique sandy ecosystems and expansive areas of fine grains.

Local helpers have been racing against time to clear the pellets, filling dozens of bags with the synthetic debris, but the scale of the pollution spill is vast, and it is improbable they will be able to clear every piece.

A representative from a environmental organization commented over the weekend, "This is the worst pollution event I have ever seen. It is contaminated plastic. Sea creatures will ingest small plastic items once they are in the ocean; they will attract algae, they will smell like food, effectively."

"After ingestion, there's no turning back: they cannot expel it. They will remain buoyant. It will form a layer which attracts diving coastal birds."

The expert continued that the clean-up efforts have been exhausting. "Recently, I was out there cleaning it up. 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 appears unaffected. But as soon as you get close up, 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 cannot remove every pellet. It is the worst I have ever seen of a polluted beach."

The elected official, who participated in the clean-up efforts, stated, "The immense quantity of plastic beads that have washed up here risks an environmental catastrophe. These biobeads are lethal to marine life and wildlife, and we are observing increased mortality among marine species on the coast."

"Community members are laboring diligently to clear away as many pellets as possible, but it’s a race against time. The water company must quickly determine if their nearby treatment facilities could be the source of these biobeads, and I’ve asked them to dedicate all available resources to supporting the clean-up operation in the interim."

These pellets are additionally hazardous to canines as they hold a significant amount of PAHs, which are recognized for cancer-causing traits, and they often contain harmful substances including heavy metals, metalloids, and bromine.

A spokesperson for the water company stated, "We are working closely with the Environment Agency and local council to look into the source of polymer pellets which have washed up on Camber Beach. This investigation work is still in progress."

"The district council is overseeing removal of the beach, using specialists with a vehicle with suction equipment to remove the pellets. We are additionally assisting with the removal process."

"We have performed environmental testing on the beach, which has shown no impact to the aquatic environment. This data has been shared with the local authorities and the Environment Agency."

The Environment Agency has been reached out to for comment.