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The water company is conducting an inquiry after a vast number of polluted polymer pellets appeared on the shoreline at Camber, raising worries of a potential "ecological disaster".

These biobeads could cause severe harm on ocean creatures, according to a local MP, with apprehensions that protected marine species, including seabirds, small cetaceans, and marine mammals, might consume them and die.

The area's representative believes the beads may have been released from a local filtration facility and has sent a letter to the water company's chief executive, requesting an account.

This coastal area, situated 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 extent of the contamination event is vast, and it is unlikely they will be able to remove all of them.

An expert from a plastic pollution campaign group commented recently, "This is the worst pollution event I have ever seen. It is polluted polymer. Marine animals will ingest tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the sea; they will attract algae, they will appear edible, effectively."

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

He added that the clean-up efforts have been exhausting. "Yesterday, I was on site removing the debris. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the sequence of events and the details for this devastating incident. It’s awful."

"The pellets are minuscule that from a a distance, the shoreline looks normal. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are countless black pellets, hidden among marine plants. 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 most severe I have ever seen of a contaminated shoreline."

The elected official, who joined the clean-up efforts, stated, "The huge number of polymer pellets that have washed up here threatens an ecological disaster. These biobeads are lethal to marine life and wildlife, and we are observing more dead seals, fish and porpoises on the beach."

"Community members are laboring diligently to remove as many pellets as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. The water company must quickly determine if their local wastewater plants could be the source of these pellets, and I’ve requested to commit every possible asset to supporting the clean-up operation in the meantime."

The beads are also dangerous to dogs as they hold a significant amount of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are known to have cancer-causing traits, and they frequently include toxins including heavy metals, antimony, and chemical elements.

A spokesperson for the water company stated, "We are working closely 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."

"The district council is leading the clean-up of the shore, using specialists with a specialized machinery to remove the pellets. We are additionally assisting with the removal process."

"We’ve conducted water-quality sampling on the coast, which has shown no impact to environmental water quality. These results has been provided with the local authorities and the Environment Agency."

Regulatory officials has been reached out to for a statement.