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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 "environmental catastrophe".

The plastic pellets could cause severe harm on ocean creatures, according to a local MP, with apprehensions that rare sea life, such as seabirds, porpoises, and seals, might consume them and perish.

The area's representative believes the beads may have been spilled from a local filtration facility and has sent a letter to the water company's chief executive, requesting an account.

This coastal area, situated in East Sussex, is a highly popular shoreline, featuring rare dune habitat and expansive areas of golden sand.

Volunteers have been racing against time to remove the beads, collecting multiple sacks with the synthetic debris, but the scale of the pollution spill is immense, and it is unlikely they will be able to clear every piece.

An expert from a plastic pollution campaign group commented recently, "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 smell like food, effectively."

"After ingestion, that’s it: they cannot expel it. They will float on the surface. It will create a slick which draws in plunging seabirds."

He added that the removal work have been exhausting. "Yesterday, I was on site cleaning it up. 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 shoreline appears unaffected. But as soon as you get close up, you see there are countless dark beads, nestled under seaweed. It’s an impossible task – helpers have been raking for days, 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 seen of a polluted beach."

The elected official, who joined the clean-up efforts, stated, "The huge number of plastic beads that have washed up here threatens an environmental catastrophe. These biobeads are lethal to ocean and land animals, and we are observing more dead seals, fish and porpoises on the coast."

"Community members are working tirelessly to remove as many beads as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. Southern Water must quickly determine 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 hold a high number of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are known to have cancer-causing traits, and they often contain toxins including lead, metalloids, and chemical elements.

An official representative for the water company said, "We are collaborating with the regulatory body and local council to look into the cause of plastic beads which have washed up on the shoreline. This investigation work is ongoing."

"The district council is leading the clean-up of the shore, using specialists with a vehicle with suction equipment to remove the beads. We are also supporting with the clean-up."

"We have performed water-quality sampling on the beach, which has revealed no effect to the aquatic environment. These results has been shared with the local authorities and the regulatory body."

Regulatory officials has been contacted for a statement.