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Southern Water is conducting an inquiry after a vast number of polluted polymer pellets were found on Camber Sands beach, raising fears of a potential "ecological disaster".

The plastic pellets could have a dire impact on marine life, as stated by a regional representative, with concerns that protected marine species, such as coastal birds, small cetaceans, and seals, 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, requesting an account.

Camber Sands, situated in East Sussex, is a highly popular shoreline, featuring rare dune habitat and expansive areas of golden sand.

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.

A representative from a environmental organization remarked recently, "This is the worst pollution event I have ever seen. It is contaminated plastic. Sea creatures will consume tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the sea; they will attract algae, they will smell like food, effectively."

"Once they’ve eaten it, that’s it: they cannot expel it. They will remain buoyant. It will create a slick which attracts diving coastal birds."

The expert continued that the removal work have been exhausting. "Recently, I was out there removing the debris. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the sequence of events and the story for this devastating incident. It’s awful."

"The pellets are minuscule that from a very long way off, the beach looks normal. But as soon as you get close up, you see there are millions black pellets, hidden among marine plants. It’s an unachievable mission – volunteers have been working tirelessly, and they will keep at it, but we won’t be able to get rid of them all. It is the most severe I have ever encountered of a polluted beach."

The elected official, who participated in the clean-up efforts, remarked, "The immense quantity of plastic beads that have washed up here threatens an ecological disaster. These plastic items are lethal to marine life and wildlife, and we are observing increased mortality among marine species on the beach."

"Local residents are laboring diligently to remove as many pellets as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. 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 aiding the removal efforts in the meantime."

The beads are also dangerous to canines as they hold a high number of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are known to have carcinogenic properties, and they often contain harmful substances including lead, metalloids, and bromine.

A spokesperson for the water company said, "We are working closely with the Environment Agency and district authorities to look into the cause of polymer pellets which have washed up on Camber Beach. The inquiry is ongoing."

"The district council is overseeing removal of the beach, using trained personnel with a vehicle with suction equipment to remove the beads. We are additionally assisting with the removal process."

"We’ve conducted environmental testing on the beach, which has revealed no effect to environmental water quality. This data has been shared with the district council and the regulatory body."

The Environment Agency has been contacted for a statement.