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The water company 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 have a dire impact on marine life, according to a regional representative, with concerns that rare sea life, such as coastal birds, small cetaceans, and marine mammals, might ingest them and perish.

The area's representative suspects the beads may have been released from a nearby water treatment centre and has written to the top official, requesting an explanation.

Camber Sands, situated in the southeastern region, is one of England’s most beloved beaches, featuring unique sandy ecosystems and expansive areas of fine grains.

Volunteers have been racing against time to remove the beads, filling dozens of bags with the plastic waste, but the scale of the contamination event is vast, and it is unlikely they will be able to remove all of them.

A representative from a plastic pollution campaign group commented recently, "This is the worst pollution event I have ever witnessed. It is polluted polymer. Sea creatures will consume small plastic items once they are in the ocean; they will draw in microorganisms, they will appear edible, in essence."

"Once they’ve eaten it, that’s it: they can’t get it out. They will remain buoyant. It will form a layer which draws in plunging seabirds."

He added that the clean-up efforts have been draining. "Yesterday, I was out there cleaning it up. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the sequence of events and the details for this devastating incident. It’s awful."

"They are so small that from a a distance, the shoreline appears unaffected. But as soon as you get close up, you see there are countless dark beads, nestled under seaweed. It’s an impossible task – helpers have been raking for days, 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 encountered of a polluted beach."

The local MP, who joined the clean-up efforts, stated, "The huge number of polymer pellets that have washed up here risks an environmental catastrophe. These biobeads are lethal to ocean and land animals, and we are observing more dead seals, fish and porpoises on the beach."

"Local residents 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 local wastewater plants could be the source of these biobeads, and I’ve asked them to dedicate all available resources to aiding the removal efforts in the interim."

The beads are additionally hazardous to canines as they hold a high number of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are recognized for carcinogenic properties, and they often contain toxins including lead, antimony, and chemical elements.

A spokesperson for Southern Water stated, "We are working closely with the Environment Agency and district authorities to look into the source of polymer pellets which have washed up on the shoreline. The inquiry is ongoing."

"The district council is leading the clean-up of the shore, using specialists with a vehicle with suction equipment to remove the pellets. We are also supporting with the removal process."

"We have performed water-quality sampling on the beach, which has revealed no effect to environmental water quality. These results has been provided with the district council and the regulatory body."

Regulatory officials has been reached out to for a statement.