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The water company is currently investigating after millions of contaminated plastic beads appeared on the shoreline at Camber, sparking worries of a potential "ecological disaster".

The plastic pellets could cause severe harm on marine life, according to a local MP, with apprehensions that rare sea life, including seabirds, small cetaceans, and seals, might ingest them and die.

A local official believes the beads may have been released from a local filtration facility and has written to the water company's chief executive, requesting an account.

This coastal area, located in East Sussex, is a highly popular shoreline, known for unique sandy ecosystems and expansive areas of golden sand.

Volunteers have been working urgently to remove the beads, filling multiple sacks with the plastic waste, but the scale of the pollution spill is vast, and it is improbable they will be able to remove all of them.

A representative from a plastic pollution campaign group remarked recently, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever seen. It is polluted polymer. Sea creatures will ingest small plastic items once they are in the ocean; they will attract algae, they will appear edible, in essence."

"After ingestion, there's no turning back: they can’t get it out. They will remain buoyant. It will create a slick which attracts diving coastal birds."

The expert continued that the removal work have been draining. "Yesterday, I was on site cleaning it up. We are trying to really piece together the sequence of events and the details for this devastating incident. It’s terrible."

"They are so small that from a a distance, the beach appears unaffected. But as soon as you get close up, you see there are countless black pellets, nestled under seaweed. It’s an impossible task – helpers have been working tirelessly, and they will continue to rake, but we cannot remove every pellet. It is the worst I have ever seen of a polluted beach."

The local MP, who participated in the removal work, remarked, "The huge number of plastic beads that have washed up here threatens an ecological disaster. These plastic items are lethal to ocean and land animals, and we are already seeing increased mortality among marine species on the coast."

"Community members are working tirelessly to remove as many beads 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 dedicate all available resources to aiding the removal efforts in the meantime."

These pellets are additionally hazardous to canines as they hold a high number of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are known to have carcinogenic properties, and they often contain harmful substances such as heavy metals, metalloids, and chemical elements.

A spokesperson for Southern Water stated, "We are collaborating with the regulatory body and local council to look into the source of polymer pellets which have been deposited on Camber Beach. This investigation work is ongoing."

"The district council is leading the clean-up of the shore, using specialists with a specialized machinery to remove the pellets. We are also supporting with the clean-up."

"We have performed water-quality sampling on the beach, which has revealed no effect to the aquatic environment. This data has been shared with the local authorities and the Environment Agency."

Regulatory officials has been contacted for a statement.