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Southern Water is currently investigating after millions of polluted polymer pellets were found on Camber Sands beach, raising fears of a possible "environmental catastrophe".

The plastic pellets could cause severe harm on marine life, according to a regional representative, with apprehensions that protected marine species, including coastal birds, porpoises, and marine mammals, might ingest them and perish.

A local official believes the pellets may have been released from a nearby water treatment centre and has sent a letter to the top official, requesting an account.

Camber Sands, located in East Sussex, is one of England’s most beloved beaches, featuring unique sandy ecosystems and expansive areas of fine grains.

Local helpers have been working urgently to clear the pellets, filling multiple sacks with the synthetic debris, but the scale of the contamination event is vast, and it is improbable they will be able to clear every piece.

A representative from a environmental organization commented over the weekend, "This is the worst pollution event I have ever witnessed. It is contaminated plastic. Sea creatures 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, that’s it: they cannot expel it. They will remain buoyant. It will create a slick which draws in plunging seabirds."

The expert continued that the clean-up efforts have been exhausting. "Yesterday, I was out there cleaning it up. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the timeline and the story for this devastating incident. It’s terrible."

"The pellets are minuscule that from a a distance, the beach looks normal. But as soon as you get close up, you see there are millions dark beads, hidden among marine plants. It’s an unachievable mission – helpers have been working tirelessly, 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 contaminated shoreline."

The local MP, who joined the removal work, stated, "The immense quantity of polymer pellets that have appeared on this shore threatens 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."

"Local residents are working tirelessly to clear away as many beads as possible, but it’s a race against time. Southern Water must urgently establish if their nearby treatment facilities could be the source of these pellets, and I’ve asked them to dedicate all available resources to aiding the removal efforts in the interim."

These pellets are also dangerous to dogs as they hold a high number of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are known to have carcinogenic properties, and they frequently include harmful substances including lead, antimony, and chemical elements.

An official representative for the water company said, "We are collaborating with the regulatory body and local council to investigate the source of polymer pellets which have washed up on Camber Beach. This investigation work is ongoing."

"Local officials is overseeing removal of the shore, using specialists with a specialized machinery to remove the beads. We are additionally assisting 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 local authorities and the Environment Agency."

The Environment Agency has been contacted for comment.