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Southern Water is currently investigating after a vast number of contaminated plastic beads appeared on Camber Sands beach, sparking worries of a possible "ecological disaster".

The plastic pellets could cause severe harm on ocean creatures, as stated by a local MP, with apprehensions that protected marine species, such as coastal birds, small cetaceans, and marine mammals, might ingest them and die.

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

Camber Sands, located in the southeastern region, is one of England’s most beloved beaches, known for unique sandy ecosystems and expansive areas of golden sand.

Volunteers have been racing against time to clear the beads, filling multiple sacks with the synthetic debris, but the scale of the pollution spill is immense, and it is improbable they will be able to remove all of them.

An expert from a environmental organization remarked over the weekend, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever witnessed. It is contaminated plastic. Sea creatures will consume tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the sea; they will draw in microorganisms, they will appear edible, effectively."

"After ingestion, that’s it: they can’t get it out. They will remain buoyant. It will form a layer which draws in diving coastal birds."

He added that the removal work have been exhausting. "Recently, I was on site cleaning it up. We are trying to really piece together the timeline and the details for this horrendous event. It’s terrible."

"The pellets are minuscule that from a very long way off, the shoreline looks normal. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are countless black pellets, hidden among marine plants. It’s an impossible task – helpers have been raking for days, and they will continue to rake, but we cannot remove every pellet. It is the worst I have ever encountered of a contaminated shoreline."

The local MP, who joined the removal work, stated, "The immense quantity of polymer pellets that have washed up here threatens 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."

"Local residents are working tirelessly to remove as many beads as possible, but it’s a race against time. Southern Water must quickly determine if their nearby treatment facilities could be the source of these biobeads, and I’ve requested to dedicate all available resources to supporting the clean-up operation in the meantime."

These pellets are also dangerous to dogs as they contain a significant amount of PAHs, which are recognized for cancer-causing traits, and they often contain toxins such as lead, metalloids, and chemical elements.

An official representative for Southern Water said, "We are working closely with the regulatory body and district authorities to investigate the source of plastic beads which have washed up on Camber Beach. This investigation work is still in progress."

"Local officials is leading the clean-up of the shore, using specialists with a specialized machinery to extract the beads. We are additionally assisting with the clean-up."

"We’ve conducted environmental testing on the beach, which has revealed no effect to environmental water quality. This data has been provided with the local authorities and the regulatory body."

Regulatory officials has been contacted for a statement.