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The water company is conducting an inquiry after a vast number of polluted polymer pellets were found on Camber Sands beach, sparking worries of a potential "environmental catastrophe".

The plastic pellets could have a dire impact on marine life, as stated by a local MP, with concerns that protected marine species, including coastal birds, porpoises, and marine mammals, might ingest them and perish.

The area's representative believes the pellets may have been spilled from a nearby water treatment centre and has written to the top official, requesting an explanation.

Camber Sands, located in East Sussex, is a highly popular shoreline, featuring unique sandy ecosystems and vast stretches of golden sand.

Volunteers have been racing against time to clear the pellets, collecting dozens of bags with the plastic waste, but the scale of the contamination event is immense, and it is improbable they will be able to clear every piece.

A representative from a plastic pollution campaign group commented over the weekend, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever seen. It is contaminated plastic. Marine animals will consume 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, 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 plunging seabirds."

He added that the removal work have been draining. "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 beach looks normal. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are millions dark beads, hidden among marine plants. It’s an impossible task – volunteers have been working tirelessly, and they will continue to rake, but we won’t be able to get rid of them all. It is the worst I have ever seen of a contaminated shoreline."

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 ocean and land animals, and we are observing increased mortality among marine species on the beach."

"Community members are working tirelessly to remove as many beads as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. The water company must urgently establish if their nearby treatment facilities could be the origin of these pellets, and I’ve requested to commit every possible asset to supporting the clean-up operation in the interim."

These pellets are also dangerous to canines as they contain a significant amount of PAHs, which are recognized for cancer-causing traits, and they frequently include harmful substances including heavy metals, antimony, and bromine.

An official representative for the water company stated, "We are collaborating with the Environment Agency and district authorities to investigate the cause of plastic beads which have washed up on the shoreline. The inquiry is still in progress."

"Local officials is overseeing removal of the beach, using specialists with a vehicle with suction equipment to remove the pellets. We are also supporting with the removal process."

"We’ve conducted environmental testing on the beach, which has revealed no effect to the aquatic environment. These results has been shared with the local authorities and the Environment Agency."

Regulatory officials has been reached out to for a statement.