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Southern Water is conducting an inquiry after a vast number of polluted polymer pellets appeared on the shoreline at Camber, sparking fears of a possible "environmental catastrophe".

The plastic pellets could cause severe harm on ocean creatures, as stated by a regional representative, with concerns that protected marine species, such as coastal birds, small cetaceans, and marine mammals, might ingest them and die.

The area's representative believes the pellets may have been released from a local filtration facility and has sent a letter to the top official, requesting an explanation.

This coastal area, situated in East Sussex, is a highly popular shoreline, featuring rare dune habitat and vast stretches of golden sand.

Volunteers have been racing against time to clear the pellets, collecting multiple sacks with the plastic waste, but the extent of the pollution spill is immense, and it is unlikely they will be able to remove all of them.

An expert from a plastic pollution campaign group commented recently, "This is the worst pollution event I have ever witnessed. It is contaminated plastic. Marine animals will ingest small plastic items once they are in the ocean; they will attract algae, they will appear edible, effectively."

"After ingestion, there's no turning back: they cannot expel it. They will float on the surface. It will form a layer which attracts diving coastal birds."

He added that the clean-up efforts have been draining. "Recently, I was on site removing the debris. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the timeline and the story for this devastating incident. It’s terrible."

"The pellets are minuscule that from a a distance, the shoreline looks normal. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are countless dark beads, hidden among marine plants. It’s an unachievable mission – volunteers have been working tirelessly, and they will keep at it, 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 joined the clean-up efforts, remarked, "The huge number of plastic beads that have appeared on this shore risks an ecological disaster. These biobeads are lethal to ocean and land animals, and we are already seeing more dead seals, fish and porpoises on the beach."

"Community members are laboring diligently to clear away as many beads as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. Southern Water must urgently establish if their local wastewater plants could be the origin of these biobeads, and I’ve requested to commit every possible asset to aiding the removal efforts in the meantime."

These pellets are additionally hazardous to canines as they contain a significant amount of PAHs, which are known to have carcinogenic properties, and they often contain harmful substances including lead, antimony, and chemical elements.

A spokesperson for the water company stated, "We are working closely with the regulatory body 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 leading the clean-up of the shore, using trained personnel with a specialized machinery to remove the beads. We are additionally assisting with the clean-up."

"We’ve conducted environmental testing on the coast, which has shown no impact to environmental water quality. This data has been provided with the district council and the Environment Agency."

Regulatory officials has been reached out to for comment.