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Southern Water is conducting an inquiry after millions of contaminated plastic beads were found on the shoreline at Camber, raising fears of a possible "ecological disaster".

These biobeads could have a dire impact on ocean creatures, as stated by a regional representative, with apprehensions that rare sea life, including seabirds, small cetaceans, and marine mammals, might consume them and die.

A local official suspects the beads may have been spilled from a nearby water treatment centre and has sent a letter to the water company's chief executive, requesting an explanation.

Camber Sands, situated in East Sussex, is a highly popular shoreline, known for rare dune habitat and expansive areas of golden sand.

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

An expert from a environmental organization remarked over the weekend, "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 attract algae, they will smell like food, in essence."

"After ingestion, that’s it: they cannot expel it. They will float on the surface. It will form a layer which attracts diving coastal birds."

The expert continued that the clean-up efforts have been draining. "Recently, I was out there cleaning it up. We are trying to really piece together the timeline and the story for this devastating incident. It’s awful."

"They are so small that from a very long way off, the beach appears unaffected. But as soon as you get close up, you see there are countless dark beads, hidden among marine plants. It’s an impossible task – helpers have been raking for days, 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 encountered of a polluted beach."

The elected official, who participated in the removal work, stated, "The immense quantity of plastic beads that have appeared on this shore threatens an environmental catastrophe. These plastic items are deadly to ocean and land animals, and we are already seeing increased mortality among marine species on the coast."

"Local residents are laboring diligently to remove as many pellets as possible, but it’s a race against time. Southern Water must quickly determine if their local wastewater plants could be the source of these biobeads, and I’ve requested to dedicate all available resources to aiding the removal efforts in the meantime."

The beads are additionally hazardous to dogs as they hold a significant amount of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are recognized for cancer-causing traits, and they often contain toxins including lead, antimony, and chemical elements.

A spokesperson for the water company said, "We are collaborating with the regulatory body and district authorities to investigate the source of polymer pellets which have been deposited on Camber Beach. This investigation work is still in progress."

"Local officials is leading the clean-up of the beach, using trained personnel with a vehicle with suction equipment to extract the pellets. We are also supporting with the clean-up."

"We’ve conducted water-quality sampling on the beach, which has shown no impact to the aquatic environment. These results has been provided with the district council and the regulatory body."

Regulatory officials has been contacted for a statement.