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Southern Water is currently investigating after millions of contaminated plastic beads appeared on Camber Sands beach, sparking worries of a potential "environmental catastrophe".

These biobeads could have a dire impact on ocean creatures, as stated by a regional representative, with apprehensions that rare sea life, such as seabirds, small cetaceans, and seals, might consume them and die.

A local official suspects the pellets may have been spilled from a nearby water treatment centre and has written to the water company's chief executive, demanding an explanation.

This coastal area, situated in East Sussex, is one of England’s most beloved beaches, known for rare dune habitat and vast stretches of golden sand.

Local helpers have been working urgently to remove the pellets, collecting dozens of bags with the plastic waste, but the scale of the pollution spill is vast, and it is unlikely they will be able to remove all of them.

An expert from a environmental organization remarked recently, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever seen. It is polluted polymer. Marine animals will consume tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the ocean; they will attract algae, they will smell like food, effectively."

"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 removal work have been draining. "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 awful."

"They are so small that from a very long way off, the shoreline looks normal. But as soon as you get close up, you see there are countless dark beads, nestled under seaweed. It’s an unachievable mission – helpers have been raking for days, and they will continue to rake, but we cannot remove every pellet. It is the most severe I have ever seen of a polluted beach."

The elected official, who participated in the removal work, remarked, "The huge number of polymer pellets that have appeared on this shore risks an environmental catastrophe. These biobeads are deadly to ocean and land animals, and we are already seeing increased mortality among marine species on the coast."

"Community members are laboring diligently to clear away 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 origin of these biobeads, and I’ve requested to commit every possible asset to aiding the removal efforts in the meantime."

The beads are also dangerous to canines as they contain a significant amount of PAHs, which are known to have carcinogenic properties, and they often contain toxins such as lead, antimony, and chemical elements.

A spokesperson for Southern Water stated, "We are collaborating with the regulatory body and district authorities to look into the cause of polymer pellets which have washed up on Camber Beach. The inquiry is still in progress."

"Local officials is leading the clean-up of the beach, using specialists with a specialized machinery to remove the pellets. We are additionally assisting with the clean-up."

"We have performed water-quality sampling on the beach, which has revealed no effect to environmental water quality. This data has been shared with the local authorities and the Environment Agency."

Regulatory officials has been reached out to for comment.