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The water company is conducting an inquiry after millions of contaminated plastic beads were found on the shoreline at Camber, raising worries of a potential "ecological disaster".

These biobeads could cause severe harm on ocean creatures, as stated by a local MP, with apprehensions that rare sea life, including seabirds, small cetaceans, and marine mammals, might consume them and perish.

A local official suspects the beads may have been spilled from a local filtration facility and has written to the water company's chief executive, 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.

Local helpers have been working urgently to clear the pellets, collecting multiple sacks with the synthetic debris, but the extent of the pollution spill is immense, and it is unlikely they will be able to remove all of them.

A representative from a environmental organization remarked recently, "This is the worst pollution event I have ever witnessed. It is polluted polymer. Marine animals will consume small plastic items once they are in the sea; they will draw in microorganisms, they will appear edible, in essence."

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

He added that the clean-up efforts have been draining. "Yesterday, I was out there cleaning it up. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the sequence of events and the details for this horrendous event. It’s awful."

"The pellets are minuscule that from a a distance, the shoreline appears unaffected. But as soon as you get close up, you see there are millions dark beads, hidden among marine plants. It’s an impossible task – volunteers have been working tirelessly, and they will keep at it, but we cannot remove every pellet. It is the worst I have ever encountered of a polluted beach."

The elected official, who joined the clean-up efforts, stated, "The immense quantity of polymer pellets that have washed up here risks an ecological disaster. These plastic items are deadly to marine life and wildlife, and we are already seeing increased mortality among marine species on the beach."

"Local residents are working tirelessly to clear away as many beads as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. The water company must quickly determine if their local wastewater plants could be the source of these biobeads, and I’ve asked them to commit every possible asset to supporting the clean-up operation in the interim."

The beads are additionally hazardous to dogs as they hold a significant amount of PAHs, which are recognized for cancer-causing traits, and they often contain harmful substances such as lead, metalloids, and chemical elements.

A spokesperson for the water company stated, "We are working closely with the regulatory body and district authorities to investigate the source of plastic beads which have been deposited on the shoreline. This investigation work 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’ve conducted 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."

Regulatory officials has been reached out to for a statement.