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The water company is conducting an inquiry after a vast number of polluted polymer pellets appeared on Camber Sands beach, sparking worries of a potential "ecological disaster".

The plastic pellets 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 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, requesting an explanation.

Camber Sands, situated in the southeastern region, is a highly popular shoreline, known for rare dune habitat and expansive areas of fine grains.

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

An expert from a plastic pollution campaign group remarked over the weekend, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever witnessed. It is contaminated plastic. Marine animals will consume tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the ocean; they will attract algae, they will smell like food, in essence."

"After ingestion, that’s it: they can’t get it out. They will remain buoyant. It will create a slick which draws in plunging seabirds."

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 devastating incident. It’s awful."

"They are so small that from a very long way off, the beach appears unaffected. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are countless black pellets, 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 worst I have ever encountered of a contaminated shoreline."

The local MP, who joined the clean-up efforts, remarked, "The immense quantity of plastic beads that have washed up here risks an environmental catastrophe. These biobeads are deadly to marine life and wildlife, and we are already seeing more dead seals, fish and porpoises on the coast."

"Community members are working tirelessly to clear away as many pellets as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. The water company must urgently establish if their nearby treatment facilities could be the origin of these pellets, and I’ve asked them 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 high number of PAHs, which are recognized for cancer-causing traits, and they frequently include harmful substances including heavy metals, antimony, and chemical elements.

A spokesperson for the water company said, "We are working closely with the Environment Agency and local council to look into the cause of polymer pellets which have been deposited on the shoreline. The inquiry is still in progress."

"The district council is leading the clean-up of the beach, using trained personnel with a specialized machinery to extract the pellets. We are also supporting with the clean-up."

"We have performed water-quality sampling on the coast, which has shown no impact to the aquatic environment. This data has been shared with the district council and the Environment Agency."

The Environment Agency has been reached out to for comment.