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The water company is conducting an inquiry after millions of contaminated plastic beads appeared on Camber Sands beach, sparking worries of a potential "environmental catastrophe".

These biobeads could cause severe harm on ocean creatures, according to a regional representative, with concerns that protected marine species, such as coastal birds, small cetaceans, and marine mammals, might consume them and perish.

A local official believes the beads may have been spilled from a nearby water treatment centre and has sent a letter to the water company's chief executive, demanding an explanation.

Camber Sands, situated in the southeastern region, is one of England’s most beloved beaches, known for unique sandy ecosystems and vast stretches of golden sand.

Volunteers have been racing against time to clear the beads, collecting dozens of bags with the plastic waste, but the extent of the contamination event is vast, and it is unlikely they will be able to clear every piece.

A representative from a environmental organization commented recently, "This is the worst pollution event I have ever seen. It is polluted polymer. Sea creatures will consume tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the ocean; they will draw in microorganisms, they will smell like food, in essence."

"Once they’ve eaten it, there's no turning back: 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 removal work have been draining. "Recently, I was on site cleaning it up. We are trying to really piece together the sequence of events and the story for this horrendous event. It’s awful."

"The pellets are minuscule that from a a distance, the shoreline appears unaffected. But as soon as you get close up, you see there are countless black pellets, hidden among marine plants. It’s an impossible task – volunteers have been working tirelessly, and they will continue to rake, but we won’t be able to get rid of them all. It is the most severe I have ever encountered of a contaminated shoreline."

The elected official, who participated in the clean-up efforts, remarked, "The immense quantity 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 increased mortality among marine species on the coast."

"Community members are working tirelessly to clear away 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 requested to commit every possible asset to supporting the clean-up operation in the meantime."

The beads are also dangerous to canines as they contain a high number of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are known to have cancer-causing traits, and they frequently include toxins such as lead, antimony, and bromine.

An official representative for Southern Water stated, "We are working closely with the Environment Agency and district authorities to investigate the cause of plastic beads 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 extract the beads. We are also supporting with the clean-up."

"We’ve conducted water-quality sampling on the beach, which has shown no impact to the aquatic environment. These results has been shared with the district council and the regulatory body."

Regulatory officials has been reached out to for comment.