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Southern Water is currently investigating after a vast number of polluted polymer pellets were found on Camber Sands beach, sparking worries of a potential "environmental catastrophe".

These biobeads could have a dire impact on marine life, according to a regional representative, with apprehensions that protected marine species, such as coastal birds, porpoises, and marine mammals, might consume them and die.

A local official suspects the pellets may have been spilled from a nearby water treatment centre and has sent a letter to the water company's chief executive, requesting an explanation.

Camber Sands, located in East Sussex, is a highly popular shoreline, known for rare dune habitat and vast stretches of fine grains.

Volunteers have been working urgently to clear the beads, filling multiple sacks with the plastic waste, but the extent of the pollution spill is immense, and it is improbable they will be able to clear every piece.

A representative from a plastic pollution campaign group commented over the weekend, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever witnessed. It is polluted polymer. Marine animals will ingest tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the sea; they will attract algae, they will smell like food, effectively."

"After ingestion, 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."

He added that the removal work have been draining. "Recently, I was on site removing the debris. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the timeline and the story for this devastating incident. It’s terrible."

"The pellets are minuscule that from a very long way off, the beach looks normal. 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 raking for days, and they will continue to rake, but we won’t be able to get rid of them all. It is the most severe I have ever encountered of a contaminated shoreline."

The elected official, who joined the removal work, stated, "The immense quantity of polymer pellets that have appeared on this shore threatens an ecological disaster. These biobeads are deadly to ocean and land animals, and we are observing increased mortality among marine species on the beach."

"Community members are working tirelessly to remove as many pellets 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 requested to commit every possible asset to aiding the removal efforts in the interim."

These pellets are also dangerous to dogs as they contain a significant amount of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are recognized for cancer-causing traits, and they frequently include harmful substances such as lead, antimony, and chemical elements.

A spokesperson for Southern Water stated, "We are working closely with the regulatory body and local council to look into the source of polymer pellets which have washed up on the shoreline. This investigation work is ongoing."

"The district council is overseeing removal of the shore, using specialists with a vehicle with suction equipment to remove the pellets. We are additionally assisting with the clean-up."

"We’ve conducted environmental testing on the coast, which has revealed no effect to environmental water quality. This data has been shared with the local authorities and the Environment Agency."

Regulatory officials has been reached out to for comment.