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The water company is conducting an inquiry after millions of polluted polymer pellets were found on Camber Sands beach, raising worries of a possible "ecological disaster".

The plastic pellets could cause severe harm on marine life, as stated by a local MP, with apprehensions that rare sea life, such as seabirds, small cetaceans, and seals, might ingest them and perish.

The area's representative suspects the pellets may have been released from a local filtration facility and has sent a letter 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 expansive areas of fine grains.

Volunteers have been working urgently to clear the beads, filling dozens of bags with the plastic waste, but the scale of the pollution spill is immense, and it is improbable they will be able to remove all of them.

A representative from a environmental organization remarked recently, "This is the worst pollution event I have ever witnessed. It is contaminated plastic. Marine animals will consume tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the sea; they will attract algae, they will smell like food, effectively."

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

He added that the clean-up efforts have been draining. "Recently, I was on site removing the debris. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the sequence of events and the story for this horrendous event. It’s awful."

"The pellets are minuscule that from a very long way off, the beach appears unaffected. But as soon as you get close up, you see there are countless black pellets, hidden among marine plants. It’s an unachievable mission – helpers have been raking for days, and they will keep at it, but we won’t be able to get rid of them all. It is the worst I have ever seen of a contaminated shoreline."

The local MP, who joined the clean-up efforts, stated, "The immense quantity of plastic beads that have appeared on this shore risks an ecological disaster. These plastic items are lethal to marine life and wildlife, and we are observing increased mortality among marine species on the beach."

"Community members are working tirelessly to clear away as many pellets as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. Southern Water must quickly determine if their local wastewater plants could be the source of these biobeads, and I’ve asked them to commit every possible asset to supporting the clean-up operation in the interim."

The beads are additionally hazardous to canines as they hold a high number of PAHs, which are recognized for cancer-causing traits, and they frequently include toxins such as heavy metals, metalloids, and chemical elements.

A spokesperson for Southern Water stated, "We are working closely with the Environment Agency and local council to look into the cause of polymer pellets which have washed up on the shoreline. The inquiry is ongoing."

"The district council is leading the clean-up of the beach, using trained personnel with a vehicle with suction equipment to remove the pellets. We are also supporting with the clean-up."

"We have performed environmental testing on the beach, which has shown no impact to environmental water quality. These results has been provided with the district council and the regulatory body."

The Environment Agency has been contacted for comment.