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The water company is currently investigating after a vast number of contaminated plastic beads were found on the shoreline at Camber, sparking worries of a possible "environmental catastrophe".

These biobeads could have a dire impact on marine life, as stated by a local MP, with concerns that protected marine species, such as coastal birds, small cetaceans, and marine mammals, might consume them and die.

A local official suspects the pellets may have been spilled from a local filtration facility and has written to the water company's chief executive, requesting an explanation.

Camber Sands, located in the southeastern region, is a highly popular shoreline, featuring rare dune habitat and expansive areas of golden sand.

Local helpers have been racing against time to remove the beads, collecting multiple sacks with the synthetic debris, but the scale of the contamination event is vast, and it is unlikely they will be able to clear every piece.

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

"After ingestion, that’s it: they cannot expel it. 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 really piece together the timeline and the details 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 millions dark beads, nestled under seaweed. It’s an unachievable mission – helpers 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 local MP, who joined the removal work, stated, "The huge number of polymer pellets that have appeared on this shore threatens an ecological disaster. These plastic items are lethal to ocean and land animals, and we are observing more dead seals, fish and porpoises on the beach."

"Local residents are laboring diligently to remove as many beads as possible, but it’s a race against time. Southern Water must urgently establish if their local wastewater plants could be the source of these pellets, and I’ve asked them to dedicate all available resources to aiding the removal efforts in the interim."

These pellets are also dangerous to dogs as they hold a significant amount of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are known to have cancer-causing traits, and they often contain harmful substances including heavy metals, 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 been deposited on Camber Beach. This investigation work is still in progress."

"The district council is overseeing removal of the shore, using specialists with a vehicle with suction equipment to extract the beads. We are also supporting with the clean-up."

"We have performed environmental testing on the coast, which has shown no impact to the aquatic environment. These results has been provided with the district council and the regulatory body."

The Environment Agency has been contacted for a statement.