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The water company is conducting an inquiry after millions of polluted polymer pellets were found on the shoreline at Camber, raising worries of a potential "environmental catastrophe".

The plastic pellets could cause severe harm on marine life, according to a local MP, with apprehensions that protected marine species, including seabirds, small cetaceans, and marine mammals, might consume them and perish.

The area's representative believes the pellets may have been released from a local filtration facility and has written to the water company's chief executive, requesting an explanation.

This coastal area, situated in the southeastern region, is one of England’s most beloved beaches, featuring unique sandy ecosystems and vast stretches of golden sand.

Volunteers have been working urgently to remove the pellets, filling multiple sacks with the synthetic debris, but the extent of the pollution spill is vast, and it is unlikely they will be able to clear every piece.

An expert from a plastic pollution campaign group remarked recently, "This is the worst pollution event I have ever witnessed. It is polluted polymer. Marine animals will consume small plastic items once they are in the sea; they will attract algae, they will smell like food, effectively."

"Once they’ve eaten it, there's no turning back: they can’t get it out. They will float on the surface. It will form a layer which attracts plunging seabirds."

He added that the clean-up efforts have been draining. "Recently, I was on site cleaning it up. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the timeline and the details for this horrendous event. It’s terrible."

"They are so small that from a a distance, the beach appears unaffected. But as soon as you get close up, you see there are millions dark beads, hidden among marine plants. It’s an impossible task – helpers have been working tirelessly, and they will keep at it, but we cannot remove every pellet. It is the most severe I have ever seen of a polluted beach."

The local MP, who participated in the clean-up efforts, remarked, "The huge number of polymer pellets that have washed up here threatens an ecological disaster. 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 laboring diligently to remove as many pellets as possible, but it’s a race against time. The water company must quickly determine if their nearby treatment facilities could be the origin of these pellets, and I’ve asked them to commit every possible asset to supporting the clean-up operation in the interim."

These pellets are additionally hazardous to dogs as they contain a high number of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are recognized for cancer-causing traits, and they frequently include toxins such as heavy metals, metalloids, and bromine.

An official representative for Southern Water said, "We are working closely with the regulatory body and district authorities to investigate the cause of plastic beads which have been deposited on Camber Beach. The inquiry is still in progress."

"The district council is overseeing removal of the beach, using specialists with a vehicle with suction equipment to extract the pellets. We are additionally assisting with the removal process."

"We have performed environmental testing on the beach, which has shown no impact to the aquatic environment. This data has been provided with the local authorities and the regulatory body."

The Environment Agency has been contacted for comment.