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The water company is conducting an inquiry after millions of polluted polymer pellets were found on the shoreline at Camber, sparking worries of a possible "ecological disaster".

The plastic pellets could cause severe harm on marine life, according to a regional representative, with concerns that rare sea life, including seabirds, porpoises, and marine mammals, might ingest them and die.

The area's representative suspects the pellets may have been spilled from a nearby water treatment centre and has written to the top official, demanding an explanation.

Camber Sands, situated in the southeastern region, is a highly popular shoreline, featuring unique sandy ecosystems and expansive areas of fine grains.

Local helpers have been racing against time to remove the pellets, collecting dozens of bags with the synthetic debris, but the extent of the pollution spill is vast, and it is unlikely they will be able to clear every piece.

An expert from a plastic pollution campaign group commented recently, "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 sea; they will draw in microorganisms, they will appear edible, effectively."

"Once they’ve eaten it, there's no turning back: they cannot expel it. They will float on the surface. It will form a layer which draws in plunging seabirds."

The expert continued that the removal work have been draining. "Yesterday, I was on site removing the debris. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the sequence of events and the story for this horrendous event. It’s terrible."

"They are so small that from a a distance, the shoreline appears unaffected. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are countless black pellets, hidden among marine plants. It’s an unachievable mission – volunteers 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 elected official, who participated in the removal work, stated, "The immense quantity of polymer pellets that have appeared on this shore risks an environmental catastrophe. These plastic items are deadly to ocean and land animals, and we are observing increased mortality among marine species on the coast."

"Community members are working tirelessly to remove as many beads as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. The water company must quickly determine if their nearby treatment facilities 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 additionally hazardous to canines as they contain a significant amount of PAHs, which are recognized for cancer-causing traits, and they often contain harmful substances such as heavy metals, metalloids, and bromine.

An official representative for the water company stated, "We are collaborating with the Environment Agency and local council to investigate the cause of polymer pellets which have been deposited on the shoreline. This investigation work is still in progress."

"The district council is overseeing removal of the beach, using specialists with a vehicle with suction equipment to remove the beads. We are additionally assisting with the removal process."

"We have performed 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 Environment Agency."

The Environment Agency has been reached out to for comment.