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Southern Water is conducting an inquiry after millions of polluted polymer pellets were found on the shoreline at Camber, raising worries of a possible "ecological disaster".

The plastic pellets could have a dire impact on marine life, as stated by a local MP, with apprehensions that rare sea life, including seabirds, small cetaceans, and seals, might ingest them and die.

The area's representative believes the beads may have been released from a local filtration facility and has written to the water company's chief executive, demanding an account.

This coastal area, located in East Sussex, is a highly popular shoreline, featuring unique sandy ecosystems and vast stretches of fine grains.

Local helpers have been working urgently to clear the pellets, collecting multiple sacks with the plastic waste, but the scale of the pollution spill is immense, and it is improbable they will be able to remove all of them.

An expert from a environmental organization commented over the weekend, "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 sea; they will draw in microorganisms, they will smell like food, in essence."

"After ingestion, there's no turning back: they cannot expel it. They will float on the surface. It will create a slick which attracts plunging seabirds."

The expert continued that the removal work have been exhausting. "Recently, I was on site cleaning it up. We are trying to accurately reconstruct 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 looks normal. 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 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 contaminated shoreline."

The elected official, who joined the removal work, remarked, "The immense quantity of plastic beads that have washed up here threatens an environmental catastrophe. These plastic items are lethal to marine life and wildlife, and we are observing more dead seals, fish and porpoises on the beach."

"Local residents are working tirelessly to remove as many beads as possible, but it’s a race against time. Southern Water must quickly determine if their nearby treatment facilities could be the source of these biobeads, and I’ve asked them to dedicate all available resources to supporting the clean-up operation in the meantime."

These pellets are additionally hazardous to dogs as they hold a high number of PAHs, which are recognized for carcinogenic properties, and they often contain toxins such as heavy metals, metalloids, and bromine.

A spokesperson for Southern Water said, "We are working closely with the regulatory body and local council to investigate the source of plastic beads which have washed up on the shoreline. This investigation work is still in progress."

"Local officials is overseeing removal of the beach, using specialists with a specialized machinery to extract the beads. We are also supporting with the clean-up."

"We’ve conducted environmental testing on the beach, which has shown no impact to environmental water quality. These results has been shared with the district council and the regulatory body."

The Environment Agency has been reached out to for comment.