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

The plastic pellets could cause severe harm on ocean creatures, according to a local MP, with concerns that rare sea life, such as coastal birds, small cetaceans, and marine mammals, might ingest them and die.

The area's representative suspects the pellets may have been released from a nearby water treatment centre and has sent a letter to the top official, requesting an account.

This coastal area, situated in the southeastern region, is a highly popular shoreline, known for rare dune habitat and expansive areas of golden sand.

Volunteers have been racing against time to clear the pellets, filling multiple sacks with the plastic waste, but the extent of the contamination event is vast, and it is unlikely they will be able to remove all of them.

A representative from a environmental organization commented over the weekend, "This is the worst pollution event I have ever seen. It is contaminated plastic. Sea creatures will consume tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the ocean; they will draw in microorganisms, they will appear edible, effectively."

"After ingestion, that’s it: they can’t get it out. They will remain buoyant. It will create a slick which draws in plunging seabirds."

He added that the clean-up efforts have been draining. "Recently, I was on site cleaning it up. We are trying to really piece together the timeline 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, nestled under seaweed. It’s an impossible task – 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 worst I have ever seen of a polluted beach."

The local MP, who joined the removal work, remarked, "The huge number of polymer pellets that have appeared on this shore threatens an ecological disaster. These biobeads are deadly to ocean and land animals, and we are already seeing increased mortality among marine species on the beach."

"Community members are laboring diligently to clear away as many beads as possible, but it’s a race against time. The water company must quickly determine if their local wastewater plants could be the source of these biobeads, and I’ve asked them to dedicate all available resources to supporting the clean-up operation in the meantime."

The beads are also dangerous to dogs as they hold a high number of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are known to have carcinogenic properties, and they often contain harmful substances including lead, antimony, and bromine.

A spokesperson for Southern Water said, "We are collaborating with the Environment Agency and district authorities to investigate the source of polymer pellets which have washed up on the shoreline. The inquiry is ongoing."

"The district council is leading the clean-up of the beach, using trained personnel with a specialized machinery to extract the pellets. We are additionally assisting with the removal process."

"We’ve conducted environmental testing on the coast, which has shown no impact to the aquatic environment. This data has been provided with the local authorities and the regulatory body."

Regulatory officials has been contacted for comment.