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The water company is conducting an inquiry after a vast number of contaminated plastic beads appeared on Camber Sands beach, raising worries of a possible "ecological disaster".

These biobeads could have a dire impact on marine life, according to a regional representative, with concerns that protected marine species, including coastal birds, small cetaceans, and marine mammals, might consume them and die.

A local official believes the beads may have been spilled from a local filtration facility and has sent a letter to the top official, demanding an explanation.

This coastal area, located in East Sussex, is one of England’s most beloved beaches, known for rare dune habitat and expansive areas of golden sand.

Local helpers have been racing against time to clear the beads, filling dozens of bags with the synthetic debris, but the extent of the contamination event is immense, and it is improbable they will be able to remove all of them.

A representative from a plastic pollution campaign group remarked over the weekend, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever seen. It is contaminated plastic. Marine animals will consume tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the sea; they will attract algae, they will appear edible, in essence."

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

He added that the removal work have been exhausting. "Yesterday, I was on site removing the debris. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the sequence of events and the story for this devastating incident. It’s awful."

"They are so small that from a a distance, the beach appears unaffected. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are millions dark beads, nestled under seaweed. It’s an impossible task – volunteers have been raking for days, and they will keep at it, but we cannot remove every pellet. It is the most severe I have ever encountered of a contaminated shoreline."

The local MP, who joined the clean-up efforts, stated, "The huge number of plastic beads that have appeared on this shore risks an environmental catastrophe. These biobeads are lethal to ocean and land animals, and we are already seeing more dead seals, fish and porpoises on the coast."

"Local residents are working tirelessly 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 origin of these biobeads, and I’ve requested to dedicate all available resources to aiding the removal efforts in the meantime."

These pellets are additionally hazardous to dogs as they contain a high number of PAHs, which are recognized for carcinogenic properties, and they often contain harmful substances including heavy metals, metalloids, and chemical elements.

A spokesperson for Southern Water stated, "We are working closely with the Environment Agency and local council to investigate the source of plastic beads which have been deposited on Camber Beach. The inquiry is still in progress."

"The district council is overseeing removal of the shore, using trained personnel with a vehicle with suction equipment 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 environmental water quality. This data has been shared with the district council and the regulatory body."

Regulatory officials has been reached out to for a statement.