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Southern Water is currently investigating after a vast number of contaminated plastic beads were found on Camber Sands beach, raising worries of a possible "ecological disaster".

The plastic pellets could have a dire impact on marine life, according to a regional representative, with concerns that rare sea life, such as coastal birds, porpoises, and seals, might consume them and perish.

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

Camber Sands, situated in the southeastern region, is a highly popular shoreline, featuring rare dune habitat and expansive areas of fine grains.

Local helpers have been racing against time to clear the pellets, collecting dozens of bags with the plastic waste, but the extent of the pollution spill is immense, and it is unlikely they will be able to remove all of them.

A representative from a plastic pollution campaign group commented recently, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever witnessed. It is polluted polymer. Marine animals will consume tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the sea; they will draw in microorganisms, they will smell like food, in essence."

"Once they’ve eaten it, there's no turning back: they cannot expel it. They will float on the surface. It will form a layer which draws in diving coastal birds."

The expert continued that the removal work have been draining. "Yesterday, I was on site removing the debris. We are trying to really piece together the timeline and the story for this horrendous event. It’s terrible."

"The pellets are minuscule that from a very long way off, the beach appears unaffected. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are millions black pellets, nestled under seaweed. It’s an impossible task – volunteers have been working tirelessly, and they will continue to rake, but we won’t be able to get rid of them all. It is the worst I have ever seen of a polluted beach."

The elected official, who participated in the clean-up efforts, remarked, "The huge number of polymer pellets that have washed up here risks an environmental catastrophe. These plastic items are lethal to ocean and land animals, and we are already seeing increased mortality among marine species on the coast."

"Local residents are laboring diligently to clear away as many beads as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. Southern Water must urgently establish if their local wastewater plants could be the origin of these pellets, and I’ve asked them to commit every possible asset to aiding the removal efforts in the meantime."

These pellets are also dangerous to dogs as they contain a high number of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are recognized for carcinogenic properties, and they often contain harmful substances such as lead, metalloids, and chemical elements.

An official representative for the water company stated, "We are collaborating with the regulatory body and local council to investigate the cause of polymer pellets which have washed up 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 remove 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. These results has been shared with the district council and the regulatory body."

The Environment Agency has been contacted for a statement.