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Southern Water is currently investigating after millions of polluted polymer pellets appeared on the shoreline at Camber, sparking worries of a possible "ecological disaster".

These biobeads could have a dire impact on marine life, according to a local MP, with concerns that rare sea life, including seabirds, small cetaceans, and marine mammals, might consume them and die.

A local official suspects the pellets may have been spilled from a local filtration facility and has sent a letter to the water company's chief executive, demanding an account.

This coastal area, located in the southeastern region, is one of England’s most beloved beaches, known for unique sandy ecosystems and vast stretches of golden sand.

Local helpers have been racing against time to remove 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 commented over the weekend, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever witnessed. It is contaminated plastic. Marine animals will consume tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the sea; they will attract algae, they will smell like food, in essence."

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

He added that the removal work have been exhausting. "Yesterday, I was out there cleaning it up. We are trying to really piece together the timeline and the details 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 approach closely, you see there are millions dark beads, nestled under seaweed. It’s an impossible task – helpers have been working tirelessly, and they will continue to rake, but we cannot remove every pellet. It is the worst I have ever encountered of a contaminated shoreline."

The elected official, who participated in the removal work, remarked, "The immense quantity of polymer pellets that have washed up here threatens an ecological disaster. These plastic items are lethal to marine life and wildlife, and we are observing increased mortality among marine species on the beach."

"Community members are working tirelessly to remove as many beads as possible, but it’s a race against time. Southern Water must urgently establish if their nearby treatment facilities could be the source of these pellets, and I’ve requested to dedicate all available resources to aiding the removal efforts in the interim."

These pellets are also dangerous to dogs as they hold a significant amount of PAHs, which are recognized for cancer-causing traits, and they frequently include harmful substances such as heavy metals, metalloids, and chemical elements.

An official representative for the water company said, "We are collaborating with the regulatory body and district authorities to look into the source of polymer pellets which have been deposited on the shoreline. This investigation work is ongoing."

"Local officials is overseeing removal of the shore, using specialists with a vehicle with suction equipment to remove the beads. We are also supporting with the removal process."

"We’ve conducted water-quality sampling on the coast, which has shown no impact to environmental water quality. These results has been provided with the local authorities and the Environment Agency."

The Environment Agency has been contacted for comment.