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Southern Water is currently investigating after millions of contaminated plastic beads appeared on Camber Sands beach, sparking fears of a potential "environmental catastrophe".

These biobeads could have a dire impact on marine life, as stated by a regional representative, with apprehensions that protected marine species, such as seabirds, porpoises, and marine mammals, might ingest them and die.

The area's representative suspects the pellets may have been released from a nearby water treatment centre and has sent a letter to the top official, requesting an explanation.

This coastal area, situated in East Sussex, is one of England’s most beloved beaches, known for unique sandy ecosystems and expansive areas of golden sand.

Volunteers have been racing against time to clear the beads, filling multiple sacks with the synthetic debris, but the scale of the pollution spill is vast, and it is unlikely 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 smell like food, in essence."

"Once they’ve eaten it, there's no turning back: they can’t get it out. They will remain buoyant. It will form a layer which attracts plunging seabirds."

The expert continued that the removal work have been exhausting. "Yesterday, I was out there removing the debris. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the sequence of events and the story for this devastating incident. It’s terrible."

"The pellets are minuscule that from a a distance, the shoreline appears unaffected. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are millions dark beads, nestled under seaweed. It’s an unachievable mission – volunteers have been raking for days, and they will keep at it, but we won’t be able to get rid of them all. It is the worst I have ever encountered of a polluted beach."

The local MP, who joined the removal work, remarked, "The immense quantity of polymer pellets that have washed up here risks an environmental catastrophe. These plastic items are deadly to ocean and land animals, and we are already seeing more dead seals, fish and porpoises on the coast."

"Local residents are working tirelessly to remove as many pellets as possible, but it’s a race against time. The water company must quickly determine if their local wastewater plants could be the origin of these pellets, and I’ve asked them to commit every possible asset to aiding the removal efforts in the interim."

The beads are additionally hazardous to dogs as they hold a significant amount of PAHs, which are recognized for carcinogenic properties, and they often contain toxins such as lead, antimony, and chemical elements.

A spokesperson for Southern Water said, "We are working closely with the Environment Agency and district authorities to investigate the source of polymer pellets which have been deposited on Camber Beach. The inquiry is ongoing."

"Local officials is overseeing removal of the beach, using trained personnel with a specialized machinery to extract the pellets. We are additionally assisting with the clean-up."

"We have performed water-quality sampling on the beach, which has shown no impact to the aquatic environment. These results has been provided with the local authorities and the Environment Agency."

The Environment Agency has been reached out to for comment.