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The water company is conducting an inquiry after millions of contaminated plastic beads appeared on the shoreline at Camber, sparking fears of a possible "environmental catastrophe".

These biobeads could cause severe harm on marine life, as stated by a local MP, with apprehensions that protected marine species, including seabirds, porpoises, and marine mammals, might consume them and die.

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

Camber Sands, situated in East Sussex, is one of England’s most beloved beaches, known for rare dune habitat and vast stretches of fine grains.

Volunteers have been racing against time to remove the beads, collecting dozens of bags with the synthetic debris, but the scale of the contamination event is vast, and it is unlikely they will be able to remove all of them.

A representative from a plastic pollution campaign group commented recently, "This is the worst pollution event I have ever seen. It is contaminated plastic. Marine animals will ingest tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the ocean; they will attract algae, they will appear edible, 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."

The expert continued that the removal work have been draining. "Recently, I was on site removing the debris. We are trying to really piece together the sequence of events and the details for this horrendous event. It’s awful."

"They are so small that from a very long way off, the beach appears unaffected. But as soon as you get close up, you see there are millions dark beads, hidden among marine plants. It’s an impossible task – helpers have been working tirelessly, 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 local MP, who joined the removal work, stated, "The huge number of polymer pellets that have washed up here risks an ecological disaster. These plastic items are lethal to marine life and wildlife, and we are observing increased mortality among marine species on the coast."

"Local residents are working tirelessly to remove as many beads as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. The water company must quickly determine if their local wastewater plants could be the origin of these biobeads, and I’ve asked them to dedicate all available resources to supporting the clean-up operation in the meantime."

The beads are also dangerous to canines as they contain a significant amount of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are recognized for carcinogenic properties, and they often contain harmful substances such as heavy metals, antimony, and chemical elements.

A spokesperson for the water company said, "We are working closely with the regulatory body and district authorities to look into the cause of plastic beads which have washed up on the shoreline. The inquiry is still in progress."

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

"We have performed environmental testing on the beach, which has revealed no effect to the aquatic environment. This data has been provided with the district council and the Environment Agency."

The Environment Agency has been contacted for a statement.