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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 fears of a potential "ecological disaster".

The plastic pellets could have a dire impact on marine life, according to a local MP, with apprehensions that protected marine species, such as coastal birds, porpoises, and marine mammals, might consume them and perish.

A local official suspects the beads may have been released from a nearby water treatment centre and has written to the top official, demanding an explanation.

This coastal area, located 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 clear the beads, filling 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.

A representative from a environmental organization remarked recently, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever seen. It is contaminated plastic. Marine animals will consume tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the sea; they will draw in microorganisms, they will smell like food, effectively."

"After ingestion, that’s it: they cannot expel it. They will remain buoyant. It will create a slick which attracts diving coastal birds."

He added that the clean-up efforts have been draining. "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 awful."

"The pellets are minuscule that from a very long way off, the beach appears unaffected. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are countless black pellets, nestled under seaweed. It’s an impossible task – helpers have been working tirelessly, and they will keep at it, but we cannot remove every pellet. It is the worst I have ever encountered of a polluted beach."

The local MP, who joined the removal work, stated, "The huge number of plastic beads that have washed up here threatens an environmental catastrophe. These plastic items are lethal to ocean and land animals, and we are observing increased mortality among marine species on the beach."

"Local residents are working tirelessly to remove as many pellets 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 commit every possible asset to supporting the clean-up operation in the meantime."

These pellets are additionally hazardous to dogs as they hold a high number of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are known to have cancer-causing traits, and they often contain toxins including heavy metals, antimony, and bromine.

A spokesperson for the water company said, "We are collaborating with the regulatory body and district authorities to investigate the source of polymer pellets which have been deposited on the shoreline. This investigation work is still in progress."

"Local officials is leading the clean-up of the shore, using specialists with a specialized machinery to remove the pellets. We are additionally assisting with the clean-up."

"We’ve conducted water-quality sampling on the beach, which has shown no impact to environmental water quality. This data has been shared with the local authorities and the regulatory body."

Regulatory officials has been reached out to for comment.