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Southern Water is currently investigating after millions of contaminated plastic beads appeared on the shoreline at Camber, sparking worries of a possible "ecological disaster".

These biobeads could cause severe harm on marine life, according to a local MP, with apprehensions that rare sea life, such as seabirds, porpoises, and marine mammals, might consume them and die.

A local official suspects the beads may have been released from a local filtration facility and has written to the top official, requesting an explanation.

This coastal area, located in the southeastern region, is one of England’s most beloved beaches, known for rare dune habitat and vast stretches of fine grains.

Volunteers have been racing against time to remove the beads, filling multiple sacks with the synthetic debris, but the scale of the pollution spill is immense, and it is improbable they will be able to remove all of them.

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

"After ingestion, 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. "Recently, I was out there removing the debris. We are trying to really piece together the timeline and the details for this horrendous event. It’s awful."

"They are so small that from a a distance, the beach appears unaffected. But as soon as you get close up, you see there are millions black pellets, hidden among marine plants. It’s an unachievable mission – helpers have been working tirelessly, and they will keep at it, but we cannot remove every pellet. It is the most severe I have ever encountered of a polluted beach."

The elected official, who joined the removal work, remarked, "The huge number of polymer pellets 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."

"Local residents are laboring diligently to clear away as many beads as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. Southern Water must quickly determine if their local wastewater plants could be the origin 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 canines as they hold a high number of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are recognized for carcinogenic properties, and they often contain harmful substances such as lead, metalloids, and bromine.

A spokesperson for the water company said, "We are collaborating with the regulatory body and local council to investigate the cause of polymer pellets which have been deposited on Camber Beach. This investigation work is still in progress."

"Local officials is leading the clean-up of the beach, using trained personnel with a specialized machinery to extract the beads. We are additionally assisting with the removal process."

"We’ve conducted environmental testing on the beach, which has revealed no effect to environmental water quality. This data has been provided with the district council and the Environment Agency."

The Environment Agency has been reached out to for comment.