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

The plastic pellets could have a dire impact on marine life, as stated by a regional representative, with apprehensions that rare sea life, including seabirds, small cetaceans, and marine mammals, might ingest them and die.

A local official believes the beads may have been released from a local filtration facility and has written to the top official, demanding an account.

This coastal area, situated in East Sussex, is a highly popular shoreline, featuring rare dune habitat and vast stretches of golden sand.

Volunteers have been racing against time to remove the pellets, collecting dozens of bags with the plastic waste, but the scale of the pollution spill is immense, and it is improbable they will be able to clear every piece.

A representative from a plastic pollution campaign group remarked recently, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever seen. It is polluted polymer. Marine animals will ingest small plastic items once they are in the sea; they will attract algae, they will smell like food, in essence."

"Once they’ve eaten it, there's no turning back: they can’t get it out. They will float on the surface. It will create a slick 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 accurately reconstruct the sequence of events and the story for this devastating incident. It’s awful."

"They are so small that from a a distance, the beach 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 working tirelessly, and they will continue to rake, but we won’t be able to get rid of them all. It is the most severe I have ever encountered of a contaminated shoreline."

The local MP, who participated in the clean-up efforts, remarked, "The immense quantity of polymer pellets that have appeared on this shore risks an ecological disaster. These biobeads are lethal to ocean and land animals, and we are already seeing more dead seals, fish and porpoises on the coast."

"Community members are working tirelessly to clear away as many pellets as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. Southern Water must urgently establish if their nearby treatment facilities could be the source of these pellets, and I’ve asked them to commit every possible asset to supporting the clean-up operation in the interim."

These pellets are additionally hazardous to canines as they contain a high number of PAHs, which are recognized for cancer-causing traits, and they often contain toxins including heavy metals, antimony, and chemical elements.

An official representative for the water company stated, "We are working closely with the Environment Agency and district authorities to investigate the cause of polymer pellets which have been deposited on Camber Beach. The inquiry is still in progress."

"The district council is leading the clean-up of the shore, using specialists with a vehicle with suction equipment to extract the pellets. We are additionally assisting with the removal process."

"We have performed water-quality sampling on the beach, which has shown no impact to the aquatic environment. This data has been shared with the district council and the regulatory body."

The Environment Agency has been reached out to for comment.