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Southern Water is conducting an inquiry after a vast number of contaminated plastic beads appeared on Camber Sands beach, sparking fears of a possible "environmental catastrophe".

These biobeads could cause severe harm on ocean creatures, as stated by a regional representative, with concerns that protected marine species, including coastal birds, small cetaceans, and marine mammals, might consume them and die.

The area's representative suspects the beads may have been released from a nearby water treatment centre and has written to the water company's chief executive, demanding an account.

Camber Sands, located in the southeastern region, is one of England’s most beloved beaches, featuring rare dune habitat and vast stretches of golden sand.

Local helpers have been racing against time to remove the pellets, filling dozens of bags with the synthetic debris, but the extent of the contamination event is immense, and it is improbable they will be able to remove all of them.

A representative from a plastic pollution campaign group commented over the weekend, "This is the worst pollution event I have ever witnessed. It is contaminated plastic. Sea creatures will ingest small plastic items once they are in the sea; they will draw in microorganisms, they will smell like food, in essence."

"After ingestion, that’s it: they cannot expel it. They will float on the surface. It will create a slick which draws in diving coastal birds."

The expert continued that the removal work have been draining. "Yesterday, I was on site cleaning it up. We are trying to really piece together the sequence of events and the details for this horrendous event. It’s awful."

"The pellets are minuscule that from a very long way off, the beach looks normal. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are millions dark beads, nestled under seaweed. It’s an impossible task – 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 clean-up efforts, remarked, "The huge number of plastic beads that have appeared on this shore risks an environmental catastrophe. These plastic items are lethal to marine life and wildlife, and we are already seeing increased mortality among marine species on the beach."

"Local residents are working tirelessly to remove as many beads as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. Southern Water must quickly determine if their local wastewater plants could be the source of these pellets, and I’ve asked them to commit every possible asset to aiding the removal efforts in the interim."

The beads are also dangerous to canines as they contain a high number of PAHs, which are recognized for carcinogenic properties, and they often contain toxins including heavy metals, metalloids, and bromine.

An official representative for the water company said, "We are working closely with the Environment Agency and local council to investigate the cause of polymer pellets 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 removal process."

"We have performed environmental testing on the beach, which has revealed no effect to the aquatic environment. These results has been shared with the local authorities and the Environment Agency."

The Environment Agency has been contacted for comment.