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Southern Water is currently investigating after millions of polluted polymer pellets appeared on the shoreline at Camber, sparking fears of a possible "environmental catastrophe".

The plastic pellets could have a dire impact on marine life, as stated by a local MP, with concerns that rare sea life, including seabirds, porpoises, and seals, might consume them and perish.

A local official suspects the beads may have been released from a local filtration facility and has sent a letter to the water company's chief executive, demanding an explanation.

This coastal area, situated in the southeastern region, is one of England’s most beloved beaches, known for unique sandy ecosystems and expansive areas of golden sand.

Local helpers have been racing against time to remove the beads, filling dozens of bags with the synthetic debris, but the extent of the contamination event is vast, and it is improbable they will be able to clear every piece.

A representative from a plastic pollution campaign group commented recently, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever seen. It is polluted polymer. Sea creatures will consume tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the sea; they will draw in microorganisms, they will smell like food, in essence."

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

He added that the clean-up efforts have been exhausting. "Yesterday, 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 very long way off, the shoreline appears unaffected. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are countless dark beads, nestled under seaweed. It’s an impossible task – volunteers have been working tirelessly, and they will keep at it, but we cannot remove every pellet. It is the worst I have ever encountered of a polluted beach."

The elected official, who joined the removal work, remarked, "The immense quantity of plastic beads that have appeared on this shore risks an ecological disaster. These biobeads are lethal to marine life and wildlife, and we are already seeing 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 dedicate all available resources to aiding the removal efforts in the interim."

These pellets are additionally hazardous to dogs as they hold a high number of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are known to have carcinogenic properties, and they often contain toxins such as heavy metals, metalloids, and chemical elements.

An official representative for Southern Water said, "We are collaborating with the regulatory body and district authorities to investigate the cause of polymer pellets which have washed up on the shoreline. The inquiry is still in progress."

"Local officials is leading the clean-up of the shore, using specialists with a vehicle with suction equipment to extract the pellets. We are also supporting with the removal process."

"We’ve conducted 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 Environment Agency."

The Environment Agency has been reached out to for comment.