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The water company is conducting an inquiry after millions of polluted polymer pellets appeared on Camber Sands beach, raising worries of a possible "ecological disaster".

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

The area's representative believes the pellets may have been spilled from a nearby water treatment centre and has sent a letter to the water company's chief executive, requesting an explanation.

Camber Sands, located in the southeastern region, is one of England’s most beloved beaches, known for rare dune habitat and vast stretches of golden sand.

Volunteers have been racing against time to clear the pellets, filling dozens of bags with the synthetic debris, but the scale of the contamination event is vast, and it is improbable they will be able to remove all of them.

A representative 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 consume tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the ocean; they will draw in microorganisms, they will appear edible, effectively."

"After ingestion, there's no turning back: they can’t get it out. They will remain buoyant. It will form a layer which draws in plunging seabirds."

The expert continued that the removal work have been exhausting. "Recently, I was out there removing the debris. We are trying to really piece together the sequence of events and the story for this devastating incident. It’s terrible."

"The pellets are minuscule that from a a distance, the beach appears unaffected. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are millions black pellets, hidden among marine plants. 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 most severe I have ever encountered of a polluted beach."

The local MP, who joined the removal work, remarked, "The immense quantity of plastic beads that have washed up here risks an environmental catastrophe. These biobeads are deadly to ocean and land animals, and we are already seeing more dead seals, fish and porpoises on the beach."

"Local residents are laboring diligently to clear away as many pellets as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. The water company must quickly determine if their local wastewater plants could be the source of these pellets, and I’ve requested to dedicate all available resources to supporting the clean-up operation in the interim."

The beads are also dangerous to canines as they contain a high number of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are known to have carcinogenic properties, and they frequently include toxins including lead, metalloids, and chemical elements.

An official representative for Southern Water stated, "We are collaborating with the regulatory body and local council to look into the source of polymer pellets which have been deposited on Camber Beach. The inquiry is ongoing."

"The district council is leading the clean-up of the beach, using trained personnel with a vehicle with suction equipment to extract the pellets. We are also supporting with the removal process."

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

Regulatory officials has been contacted for comment.