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The water company is currently investigating after millions of contaminated plastic beads were found on the shoreline at Camber, sparking fears of a potential "environmental catastrophe".

These biobeads could cause severe harm on marine life, according to a regional representative, with concerns that rare sea life, including coastal birds, porpoises, and marine mammals, might ingest them and perish.

A local official suspects the pellets may have been released from a local filtration facility and has sent a letter to the top official, requesting an explanation.

Camber Sands, located in East Sussex, is one of England’s most beloved beaches, featuring rare dune habitat and vast stretches of golden sand.

Volunteers have been racing against time to remove the pellets, collecting multiple sacks with the synthetic debris, but the extent of the pollution spill is vast, and it is unlikely they will be able to clear every piece.

A representative from a plastic pollution campaign group commented over the weekend, "This is the worst pollution event I have ever seen. It is polluted polymer. Sea creatures will consume tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the ocean; they will draw in microorganisms, they will appear edible, effectively."

"Once they’ve eaten it, there's no turning back: they can’t get it out. They will float on the surface. It will form a layer which draws in diving coastal birds."

The expert continued that the clean-up efforts have been exhausting. "Yesterday, I was on site cleaning it up. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the timeline and the story for this devastating incident. It’s awful."

"The pellets are minuscule that from a very long way off, the shoreline looks normal. But as soon as you get close up, you see there are countless dark beads, nestled under seaweed. It’s an unachievable mission – volunteers have been raking for days, and they will continue to rake, but we cannot remove every pellet. It is the worst I have ever encountered of a polluted beach."

The local MP, who participated in the clean-up efforts, remarked, "The huge number 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 observing increased mortality among marine species on the beach."

"Local residents are laboring diligently to clear away as many pellets as possible, but it’s a race against time. The water company must urgently establish if their nearby treatment facilities could be the source of these biobeads, and I’ve requested to commit every possible asset to supporting the clean-up operation in the interim."

These pellets are also dangerous to dogs as they contain a high number of PAHs, which are recognized for cancer-causing traits, and they frequently include harmful substances such as lead, metalloids, and bromine.

An official representative for Southern Water said, "We are collaborating with the regulatory body and district authorities to look into the cause of plastic beads which have washed up on Camber Beach. The inquiry is still in progress."

"Local officials is overseeing removal of the shore, using specialists with a vehicle with suction equipment to remove the pellets. We are additionally assisting with the removal process."

"We’ve conducted environmental testing on the beach, which has shown no impact to the aquatic environment. This data has been provided with the local authorities and the regulatory body."

Regulatory officials has been reached out to for comment.