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Southern Water is currently investigating after millions of polluted polymer pellets were found on Camber Sands beach, raising 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 seabirds, porpoises, and marine mammals, might ingest them and perish.

A local official suspects the pellets may have been released from a local filtration facility and has sent a letter to the water company's chief executive, requesting an account.

This coastal area, located in the southeastern region, is a highly popular shoreline, featuring rare dune habitat and vast stretches of golden sand.

Local helpers have been working urgently to remove the pellets, collecting dozens of bags with the synthetic debris, but the extent of the contamination event is vast, and it is unlikely they will be able to remove all of them.

An expert from a environmental organization commented over the weekend, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever witnessed. It is contaminated plastic. Sea creatures will consume tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the ocean; they will draw in microorganisms, they will smell like food, effectively."

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

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

"They are so small that from a very long way off, the beach looks normal. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are millions black pellets, hidden among marine plants. 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 encountered of a polluted beach."

The elected official, who participated in the clean-up efforts, stated, "The immense quantity of polymer pellets that have appeared on this shore risks an ecological disaster. These biobeads are lethal to ocean and land animals, and we are already seeing increased mortality among marine species on the beach."

"Community members are working tirelessly to clear away as many beads as possible, but it’s a race against time. The water company must quickly determine if their nearby treatment facilities could be the source of these pellets, and I’ve requested to dedicate all available resources to aiding the removal efforts in the interim."

The beads are also dangerous to dogs as they contain a high number of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are recognized for cancer-causing traits, and they often contain toxins including lead, metalloids, and bromine.

A spokesperson for the water company stated, "We are working closely with the Environment Agency and district authorities to look into the cause of plastic beads which have washed up on the shoreline. The inquiry is ongoing."

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

"We’ve conducted environmental testing on the beach, which has shown no impact to the aquatic environment. These results has been provided with the district council and the Environment Agency."

The Environment Agency has been contacted for a statement.