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Southern Water is conducting an inquiry after millions of contaminated plastic beads appeared on Camber Sands beach, sparking worries of a possible "ecological disaster".

The plastic pellets could cause severe harm on marine life, as stated by a regional representative, with concerns that protected marine species, such as seabirds, porpoises, and marine mammals, might consume them and die.

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

Camber Sands, located in the southeastern region, is a highly popular shoreline, featuring unique sandy ecosystems and expansive areas of golden sand.

Local helpers have been racing against time to clear the pellets, collecting dozens of bags with the plastic waste, but the scale of the contamination event is vast, and it is unlikely they will be able to clear every piece.

A representative from a environmental organization commented recently, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever witnessed. It is contaminated plastic. Marine animals will consume small plastic items 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 attracts diving coastal birds."

He added that the removal work have been draining. "Recently, I was on site cleaning it up. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the timeline and the story for this devastating incident. It’s awful."

"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 millions black pellets, hidden among marine plants. It’s an impossible task – volunteers 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 worst I have ever seen of a polluted beach."

The elected official, who participated in the removal work, stated, "The huge number of plastic beads that have washed up here threatens an ecological disaster. These plastic items are lethal to marine life and wildlife, and we are already seeing increased mortality among marine species on the coast."

"Community members are laboring diligently to remove 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 origin of these biobeads, and I’ve asked them to commit every possible asset to supporting the clean-up operation in the interim."

These pellets are also dangerous to dogs as they hold a high number of PAHs, which are known to have carcinogenic properties, and they often contain harmful substances such as lead, antimony, and chemical elements.

A spokesperson for the water company stated, "We are working closely 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."

"Local officials is leading the clean-up of the beach, using specialists with a specialized machinery to extract the beads. We are additionally assisting with the removal process."

"We’ve conducted water-quality sampling on the beach, which has shown no impact to the aquatic environment. This data has been provided with the district council and the regulatory body."

Regulatory officials has been contacted for comment.