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Southern Water is currently investigating after millions of polluted polymer pellets were found on Camber Sands beach, raising fears of a potential "ecological disaster".

The plastic pellets could cause severe harm on marine life, according to a regional representative, with concerns that rare sea life, including coastal birds, small cetaceans, and marine mammals, might consume them and perish.

The area's representative suspects the beads may have been spilled from a local filtration facility and has written 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 vast stretches of golden sand.

Volunteers have been working urgently to remove the beads, collecting dozens of bags with the plastic waste, but the extent of the contamination event is vast, and it is unlikely they will be able to clear every piece.

A representative from a environmental organization commented recently, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever seen. It is contaminated plastic. Marine animals will ingest small plastic items once they are in the sea; they will draw in microorganisms, 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 diving coastal birds."

The expert continued that the removal work have been draining. "Recently, I was on site cleaning it up. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the timeline and the story for this horrendous event. It’s terrible."

"They are so small that from a a distance, the shoreline appears unaffected. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are millions dark beads, hidden among marine plants. 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 polymer pellets that have appeared on this shore risks an environmental catastrophe. These biobeads are deadly to marine life and wildlife, and we are observing more dead seals, fish and porpoises on the coast."

"Local residents are laboring diligently to clear away as many pellets as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. The water company must urgently establish if their local wastewater plants could be the origin of these biobeads, and I’ve requested 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 high number of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are known to have cancer-causing traits, and they often contain harmful substances such as lead, antimony, and bromine.

A spokesperson for Southern Water stated, "We are working closely with the Environment Agency and local council to investigate the cause of plastic beads which have washed up on Camber Beach. The inquiry is still in progress."

"The district council is overseeing removal of the beach, using trained personnel with a vehicle with suction equipment to extract 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. This data has been shared with the district council and the Environment Agency."

The Environment Agency has been contacted for a statement.