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The water company is conducting an inquiry after millions of contaminated plastic beads were found on Camber Sands beach, raising worries of a potential "ecological disaster".

These biobeads could cause severe harm on ocean creatures, as stated by a regional representative, with apprehensions that rare sea life, including seabirds, porpoises, and seals, might ingest them and die.

The area's representative believes the beads may have been released from a local filtration facility and has sent a letter to the top official, requesting an explanation.

This coastal area, situated in East Sussex, is one of England’s most beloved beaches, known for rare dune habitat and expansive areas of fine grains.

Volunteers have been working urgently to clear the beads, collecting multiple sacks with the plastic waste, but the scale of the contamination event is vast, and it is improbable they will be able to clear every piece.

A representative from a environmental organization commented recently, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever seen. It is contaminated plastic. Marine animals will consume small plastic items once they are in the ocean; they will attract algae, they will appear edible, in essence."

"Once they’ve eaten it, there's no turning back: they cannot expel it. They will float on the surface. It will form a layer which attracts diving coastal birds."

He added that the clean-up efforts have been exhausting. "Recently, I was out there removing the debris. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the sequence of events and the details for this devastating incident. It’s awful."

"They are so small that from a very long way off, the beach looks normal. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are countless black pellets, hidden among marine plants. It’s an unachievable mission – volunteers have been working tirelessly, and they will continue to rake, but we cannot remove every pellet. It is the most severe I have ever encountered of a polluted beach."

The local MP, who participated in the clean-up efforts, stated, "The immense quantity of plastic beads that have washed up here risks an ecological disaster. These biobeads are deadly to ocean and land animals, and we are observing increased mortality among marine species on the coast."

"Community members are working tirelessly to clear away as many beads as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. Southern Water must quickly determine if their local wastewater plants could be the origin of these pellets, and I’ve requested to dedicate all available resources to aiding the removal efforts in the interim."

These pellets are also dangerous to dogs as they hold a high number of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are recognized for carcinogenic properties, and they often contain harmful substances including lead, metalloids, and chemical elements.

An official representative for the water company said, "We are collaborating with the Environment Agency and local council to look into the cause of plastic beads which have been deposited on Camber Beach. The inquiry is ongoing."

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

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

The Environment Agency has been contacted for a statement.