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Southern Water is conducting an inquiry after millions of contaminated plastic beads were found on Camber Sands beach, raising worries of a potential "environmental catastrophe".

These biobeads could have a dire impact on marine life, according to a regional representative, with concerns that protected marine species, including seabirds, small cetaceans, and marine mammals, might consume them and die.

A local official suspects the beads may have been spilled from a local filtration facility and has sent a letter to the top official, demanding an account.

This coastal area, situated in East Sussex, is one of England’s most beloved beaches, featuring unique sandy ecosystems and vast stretches of fine grains.

Local helpers have been racing against time to clear the beads, collecting multiple sacks with the synthetic debris, but the extent of the contamination event is immense, and it is improbable they will be able to clear every piece.

An expert from a environmental organization commented over the weekend, "This is the worst pollution event I have ever seen. It is contaminated plastic. Sea creatures will consume tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the ocean; they will draw in microorganisms, they will appear edible, effectively."

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

The expert continued that the removal work have been exhausting. "Recently, I was on site removing the debris. 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 shoreline appears unaffected. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are countless dark beads, hidden among marine plants. It’s an impossible task – helpers have been working tirelessly, 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 participated in the removal work, stated, "The huge number of plastic beads that have washed up here threatens an environmental catastrophe. These biobeads are deadly to marine life and wildlife, and we are observing increased mortality among marine species on the beach."

"Local residents are working tirelessly to clear away as many pellets as possible, but it’s a race against time. Southern Water must urgently establish 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."

The beads are additionally hazardous to dogs as they contain a high number of PAHs, which are recognized for cancer-causing traits, and they frequently include toxins including lead, metalloids, and bromine.

A spokesperson for the water company said, "We are working closely with the regulatory body and local council to look into the source of plastic beads which have been deposited on the shoreline. This investigation work is ongoing."

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

"We have performed water-quality sampling on the beach, which has revealed no effect to the aquatic environment. This data has been shared with the district council and the regulatory body."

The Environment Agency has been reached out to for comment.