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The water company is currently investigating after millions of polluted polymer pellets were found on the shoreline at Camber, sparking fears of a possible "environmental catastrophe".

These biobeads could cause severe harm on marine life, according to a local MP, with apprehensions that protected marine species, such as coastal birds, porpoises, and seals, might ingest them and die.

A local official believes the beads may have been spilled from a local filtration facility and has written to the water company's chief executive, requesting an explanation.

This coastal area, located 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 racing against time to clear the beads, collecting multiple sacks with the plastic waste, but the extent of the contamination event is immense, and it is unlikely they will be able to clear every piece.

A representative from a environmental organization remarked over the weekend, "This is the worst pollution event I have ever witnessed. It is polluted polymer. Marine animals will ingest tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the sea; they will attract algae, they will appear edible, in essence."

"Once they’ve eaten it, that’s it: they can’t get it out. They will float on the surface. It will create a slick which attracts diving coastal birds."

The expert continued that the clean-up efforts have been draining. "Yesterday, I was out there cleaning it up. We are trying to really piece together the timeline and the details for this devastating incident. It’s awful."

"They are so small that from a a distance, the beach looks normal. But as soon as you get close up, you see there are countless dark beads, hidden among marine plants. It’s an impossible task – volunteers 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 most severe I have ever seen of a polluted beach."

The local MP, who joined the clean-up efforts, stated, "The huge number of plastic beads that have washed up here risks an ecological disaster. These plastic items are deadly to ocean and land animals, 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 race against time. The water company must urgently establish if their nearby treatment facilities could be the source of these biobeads, and I’ve asked them to dedicate all available resources to aiding the removal efforts in the meantime."

The beads are also dangerous to dogs as they contain a high number of PAHs, which are known to have carcinogenic properties, and they frequently include harmful substances such as lead, antimony, and bromine.

A spokesperson for the water company said, "We are collaborating with the regulatory body and local council to look into the source of plastic beads which have been deposited on Camber Beach. This investigation work is ongoing."

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

"We’ve conducted environmental testing on the beach, which has revealed no effect to the aquatic environment. These results has been provided with the district council and the regulatory body."

Regulatory officials has been contacted for comment.