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Southern Water is conducting an inquiry after a vast number of contaminated plastic beads were found on the shoreline at Camber, raising worries of a potential "ecological disaster".

These biobeads could have a dire impact on marine life, according to a local MP, with apprehensions that protected marine species, including seabirds, porpoises, and marine mammals, might consume them and perish.

A local official suspects the beads may have been spilled from a local filtration facility and has written to the top official, demanding an account.

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

Local helpers have been racing against time to clear the beads, filling multiple sacks with the plastic waste, but the scale of the pollution spill is immense, and it is improbable they will be able to clear every piece.

A representative from a plastic pollution campaign group remarked recently, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever seen. It is contaminated plastic. Sea creatures will consume small plastic items once they are in the sea; they will draw in microorganisms, they will smell like food, in essence."

"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 out there cleaning it up. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the sequence of events and the story for this devastating incident. It’s awful."

"They are so small that from a very long way off, 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 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 worst I have ever encountered of a contaminated shoreline."

The elected official, who participated in the removal work, stated, "The immense quantity of plastic beads that have washed up here risks an environmental catastrophe. These biobeads are deadly to marine life and wildlife, and we are observing more dead seals, fish and porpoises on the coast."

"Local residents are working tirelessly 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 requested to commit every possible asset to supporting the clean-up operation in the interim."

These pellets are additionally hazardous to dogs as they hold a high number of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are recognized for cancer-causing traits, and they frequently include toxins such as lead, metalloids, and chemical elements.

An official representative for Southern Water stated, "We are working closely with the Environment Agency and district authorities to investigate the source of polymer pellets which have been deposited on Camber Beach. 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 extract the pellets. We are also supporting with the clean-up."

"We have performed environmental testing on the coast, which has shown no impact to environmental water quality. These results has been shared with the local authorities and the regulatory body."

Regulatory officials has been contacted for a statement.