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The water company is conducting an inquiry after a vast number of contaminated plastic beads appeared on Camber Sands beach, raising worries of a potential "ecological disaster".

The plastic pellets could have a dire impact on ocean creatures, as stated by a local MP, with apprehensions that rare sea life, such as coastal birds, small cetaceans, and seals, might ingest them and perish.

A local official suspects the beads 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.

This coastal area, located in the southeastern region, is a highly popular shoreline, featuring unique sandy ecosystems and expansive areas of fine grains.

Volunteers have been racing against time to remove the pellets, filling multiple sacks with the synthetic debris, but the scale of the contamination event is vast, and it is unlikely they will be able to clear every piece.

An expert from a plastic pollution campaign group commented over the weekend, "This is the worst pollution event I have ever seen. It is contaminated plastic. Marine animals will consume tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the ocean; they will draw in microorganisms, they will appear edible, in essence."

"Once they’ve eaten it, that’s it: they cannot expel it. They will remain buoyant. It will form a layer which draws in diving coastal birds."

The expert continued that the removal work have been draining. "Recently, I was on site cleaning it up. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the sequence of events and the details for this devastating incident. It’s awful."

"They are so small that from a very long way off, the shoreline appears unaffected. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are countless black pellets, nestled under seaweed. It’s an unachievable mission – helpers have been raking for days, and they will keep at it, but we cannot remove every pellet. It is the worst I have ever seen of a contaminated shoreline."

The local MP, who joined the clean-up efforts, remarked, "The immense quantity 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 observing increased mortality among marine species on the beach."

"Local residents are laboring diligently to remove as many beads as possible, but it’s a race against time. Southern Water must quickly determine if their local wastewater plants could be the origin of these pellets, and I’ve requested to dedicate all available resources to supporting the clean-up operation in the interim."

These pellets are also dangerous to canines as they hold a significant amount of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are recognized for carcinogenic properties, and they frequently include harmful substances such as heavy metals, antimony, and chemical elements.

An official representative for Southern Water stated, "We are collaborating with the Environment Agency and district authorities to investigate the source 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 beach, using trained personnel with a vehicle with suction equipment to extract the beads. We are also supporting with the clean-up."

"We’ve conducted environmental testing on the beach, which has revealed no effect to the aquatic environment. These results has been shared with the district council and the Environment Agency."

Regulatory officials has been contacted for comment.