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The water company is conducting an inquiry after a vast number of polluted polymer pellets were found on Camber Sands beach, sparking fears of a potential "ecological disaster".

The plastic pellets could cause severe harm on ocean creatures, as stated by a regional representative, with concerns that protected marine species, including seabirds, porpoises, and seals, might ingest them and die.

The area's representative believes the pellets may have been released from a nearby water treatment centre and has sent a letter to the top official, requesting an account.

Camber Sands, situated in East Sussex, is a highly popular shoreline, featuring unique sandy ecosystems and vast stretches of fine grains.

Volunteers have been working urgently to remove the pellets, filling dozens of bags 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.

A representative from a plastic pollution campaign group remarked over the weekend, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever witnessed. It is contaminated plastic. Sea creatures will consume small plastic items once they are in the ocean; they will attract algae, they will smell like food, in essence."

"Once they’ve eaten it, there's no turning back: they cannot expel it. They will remain buoyant. It will create a slick which attracts diving coastal birds."

He added that the removal work have been draining. "Yesterday, I was out there cleaning it up. We are trying to really piece together the timeline and the story for this devastating incident. It’s terrible."

"The pellets are minuscule that from a a distance, the beach looks normal. But as soon as you get close up, you see there are countless dark beads, hidden among marine plants. It’s an impossible task – volunteers have been raking for days, and they will continue to rake, but we cannot remove every pellet. It is the worst I have ever seen of a contaminated shoreline."

The local MP, who joined the removal work, stated, "The huge number of polymer pellets that have washed up here threatens an environmental catastrophe. These biobeads are deadly to marine life and wildlife, and we are observing more dead seals, fish and porpoises on the coast."

"Local residents are laboring diligently to clear away as many beads as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. The water company must quickly determine if their nearby treatment facilities 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."

These pellets are additionally hazardous to canines as they contain a significant amount of PAHs, which are recognized for carcinogenic properties, and they frequently include harmful substances including lead, antimony, and chemical elements.

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

"The district council is leading the clean-up of the shore, using specialists with a specialized machinery to remove the beads. We are additionally assisting with the clean-up."

"We’ve conducted water-quality sampling on the beach, which has revealed no effect to the aquatic environment. This data has been provided with the local authorities and the Environment Agency."

Regulatory officials has been contacted for a statement.