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The water company is conducting an inquiry after millions of contaminated plastic beads appeared on the shoreline at Camber, sparking fears of a potential "environmental catastrophe".

These biobeads could cause severe harm on ocean creatures, according to a local MP, with apprehensions that rare sea life, such as coastal birds, porpoises, and seals, might consume them and die.

A local official believes the pellets 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, situated in the southeastern region, is one of England’s most beloved beaches, known for rare dune habitat and expansive areas of fine grains.

Volunteers have been racing against time to clear the pellets, filling multiple sacks with the synthetic debris, but the extent 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 remarked over the weekend, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever witnessed. It is contaminated plastic. Sea creatures will consume small plastic items once they are in the sea; they will draw in microorganisms, they will smell like food, effectively."

"After ingestion, there's no turning back: they can’t get it out. They will float on the surface. It will create a slick which draws in plunging seabirds."

The expert continued that the clean-up efforts have been draining. "Yesterday, I was out there cleaning it up. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the timeline and the story for this horrendous event. It’s terrible."

"They are so small that from a a distance, the beach looks normal. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are countless black pellets, nestled under seaweed. It’s an impossible task – volunteers 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 contaminated shoreline."

The local MP, who joined the removal work, remarked, "The huge number of polymer pellets that have appeared on this shore risks an environmental catastrophe. These plastic items are lethal to ocean and land animals, and we are observing increased mortality among marine species on the beach."

"Local residents are laboring diligently to clear away as many pellets as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. The water company must quickly determine if their nearby treatment facilities could be the source of these pellets, and I’ve asked them to commit every possible asset to supporting the clean-up operation in the meantime."

These pellets are also dangerous to dogs as they hold a high number of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are recognized for cancer-causing traits, and they often contain toxins including heavy metals, metalloids, and bromine.

An official representative for the water company said, "We are working closely with the regulatory body and district authorities to investigate the source of polymer pellets which have been deposited on the shoreline. The inquiry is still in progress."

"Local officials is leading the clean-up of the shore, using specialists with a vehicle with suction equipment to extract the beads. We are also supporting with the clean-up."

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

The Environment Agency has been reached out to for a statement.