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Southern Water is currently investigating after a vast number of contaminated plastic beads appeared on Camber Sands beach, raising worries of a potential "environmental catastrophe".

These biobeads could cause severe harm on marine life, as stated by a local MP, with concerns that rare sea life, such as coastal birds, porpoises, and marine mammals, might ingest 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, requesting an explanation.

This coastal area, situated in the southeastern region, is a highly popular shoreline, known for unique sandy ecosystems and expansive areas of golden sand.

Local helpers have been racing against time to remove the beads, filling multiple sacks with the plastic waste, but the extent of the contamination event is vast, and it is unlikely they will be able to clear every piece.

A representative from a environmental organization remarked recently, "This is the worst pollution event I have ever seen. It is polluted polymer. Marine animals will ingest small plastic items once they are in the ocean; they will attract algae, they will appear edible, effectively."

"Once they’ve eaten it, there's no turning back: they can’t get it out. They will float on the surface. It will form a layer which draws in diving coastal birds."

The expert continued that the removal work have been exhausting. "Yesterday, I was on site cleaning it up. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the timeline and the details for this horrendous event. It’s terrible."

"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 dark beads, nestled under seaweed. It’s an impossible task – helpers have been raking for days, and they will continue to rake, but we cannot remove every pellet. It is the worst I have ever seen of a polluted beach."

The local MP, who participated in the removal work, stated, "The huge number of plastic beads that have appeared on this shore threatens an environmental catastrophe. These plastic items are deadly to marine life and wildlife, and we are observing increased mortality among marine species on the coast."

"Community members are laboring diligently to clear away 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 pellets, and I’ve asked them to commit every possible asset to supporting the clean-up operation in the meantime."

These pellets are also dangerous to dogs as they contain a significant amount of PAHs, which are recognized for carcinogenic properties, and they often contain toxins including lead, antimony, and bromine.

An official representative for the water company said, "We are collaborating with the regulatory body and district authorities to look into the cause of plastic beads which have been deposited on Camber Beach. This investigation work is ongoing."

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

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

Regulatory officials has been contacted for a statement.