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Southern Water is currently investigating after a vast number of polluted polymer pellets appeared on Camber Sands beach, raising fears of a potential "ecological disaster".

The plastic pellets could cause severe harm on ocean creatures, as stated by a regional representative, with concerns that rare sea life, such as coastal birds, porpoises, and seals, might ingest them and perish.

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

This coastal area, located in the southeastern region, is a highly popular shoreline, known for unique sandy ecosystems and vast stretches of fine grains.

Local helpers have been working urgently to remove the beads, collecting dozens of bags with the plastic waste, but the scale of the pollution spill is vast, and it is improbable they will be able to clear every piece.

An expert 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. Sea creatures will ingest tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the ocean; they will draw in microorganisms, they will appear edible, effectively."

"After ingestion, there's no turning back: they cannot expel it. They will remain buoyant. It will form a layer which attracts plunging seabirds."

He added that the removal work have been exhausting. "Yesterday, I was out there removing the debris. We are trying to really piece together the timeline and the story for this horrendous event. It’s terrible."

"They are so small that from a very long way off, the shoreline appears unaffected. But as soon as you get close up, you see there are countless dark beads, hidden among marine plants. It’s an impossible task – volunteers 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 elected official, who participated in the removal work, remarked, "The huge number of polymer pellets that have appeared on this shore threatens an ecological disaster. These biobeads are deadly to marine life and wildlife, and we are observing more dead seals, fish and porpoises on the beach."

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

These pellets are additionally hazardous to canines as they hold a significant amount of PAHs, which are recognized for carcinogenic properties, and they often contain toxins including heavy metals, metalloids, and bromine.

An official representative for the water company said, "We are working closely with the Environment Agency and district authorities to investigate the cause of polymer pellets which have washed up on the shoreline. This investigation work is ongoing."

"Local officials is overseeing removal of the shore, using trained personnel with a specialized machinery to extract the beads. We are also supporting with the clean-up."

"We’ve conducted water-quality sampling on the beach, which has revealed no effect to environmental water quality. This data has been provided with the district council and the Environment Agency."

Regulatory officials has been reached out to for a statement.