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Southern Water is conducting an inquiry after millions of polluted polymer pellets appeared on Camber Sands beach, raising worries of a possible "ecological disaster".

The plastic pellets could have a dire impact on marine life, as stated by a regional representative, with concerns that protected marine species, including coastal birds, porpoises, and seals, might consume 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, demanding an explanation.

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

Volunteers have been working urgently to remove the pellets, filling multiple sacks with the synthetic debris, but the scale of the pollution spill is immense, and it is improbable they will be able to clear every piece.

An expert from a environmental organization remarked recently, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever seen. It is contaminated plastic. Sea creatures will ingest tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the sea; they will draw in microorganisms, they will smell like food, effectively."

"Once they’ve eaten it, that’s it: they cannot expel it. They will remain buoyant. It will create a slick which draws in plunging seabirds."

He added that the clean-up efforts have been exhausting. "Yesterday, I was on site cleaning it up. We are trying to really piece together the sequence of events and the details for this horrendous event. It’s awful."

"The pellets are minuscule that from a a distance, the beach looks normal. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are countless black pellets, nestled under seaweed. It’s an impossible task – helpers 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 seen of a polluted beach."

The local MP, who participated in the removal work, stated, "The huge number of polymer pellets that have appeared on this shore threatens an ecological disaster. These biobeads are lethal to ocean and land animals, and we are already seeing 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 urgent effort. The water company must urgently establish if their local wastewater plants could be the source of these biobeads, and I’ve requested to commit every possible asset to aiding the removal efforts in the interim."

These pellets are additionally hazardous to dogs as they contain a significant amount of PAHs, which are known to have cancer-causing traits, and they often contain harmful substances such as lead, metalloids, and bromine.

A spokesperson for Southern Water said, "We are working closely with the regulatory body and district authorities to look into the source of polymer pellets which have washed up on the shoreline. The inquiry is still in progress."

"Local officials is leading the clean-up of the shore, using trained personnel with a vehicle with suction equipment to remove the beads. We are additionally assisting with the removal process."

"We have performed water-quality sampling on the coast, which has revealed no effect to the aquatic environment. These results has been provided with the local authorities and the regulatory body."

The Environment Agency has been reached out to for comment.