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Southern Water is conducting an inquiry after a vast number of polluted polymer pellets were found on Camber Sands beach, sparking worries of a potential "ecological disaster".

The plastic pellets could cause severe harm on ocean creatures, as stated by a local MP, with concerns that rare sea life, such as coastal birds, porpoises, and marine mammals, might ingest them and die.

A local official suspects the pellets may have been released from a nearby water treatment centre and has written to the water company's chief executive, demanding an explanation.

Camber Sands, located in East Sussex, is a highly popular shoreline, featuring rare dune habitat and expansive areas of fine grains.

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

A representative from a plastic pollution campaign group commented over the weekend, "This is the worst pollution event I have ever witnessed. It is contaminated plastic. Sea creatures will consume small plastic items once they are in the sea; they will attract algae, they will appear edible, in essence."

"After ingestion, that’s it: they can’t get it out. They will float on the surface. It will create a slick which attracts diving coastal birds."

The expert continued that the clean-up efforts have been exhausting. "Yesterday, I was on site cleaning it up. We are trying to really piece together the timeline and the details for this horrendous event. It’s awful."

"The pellets are minuscule that from a a distance, the beach looks normal. But as soon as you get close up, you see there are countless black pellets, hidden among marine plants. It’s an impossible task – helpers have been working tirelessly, and they will keep at it, but we cannot remove every pellet. It is the most severe I have ever seen of a polluted beach."

The local MP, who joined the clean-up efforts, stated, "The immense quantity of plastic beads that have washed up here risks an environmental catastrophe. These plastic items are deadly to marine life and wildlife, and we are already seeing 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 race against time. The water company must quickly determine if their local wastewater plants could be the source of these pellets, and I’ve requested to dedicate all available resources to supporting the clean-up operation in the meantime."

The beads are additionally hazardous to canines as they contain a significant amount of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are known to have carcinogenic properties, and they frequently include toxins such as heavy metals, metalloids, and chemical elements.

A spokesperson for Southern Water said, "We are collaborating with the Environment Agency and district authorities to investigate the cause of plastic beads which have been deposited on the shoreline. This investigation work is still in progress."

"The district council is leading the clean-up of the beach, using trained personnel with a specialized machinery to remove the beads. We are also supporting with the clean-up."

"We have performed environmental testing on the beach, which has revealed no effect to environmental water quality. These results has been shared with the district council and the Environment Agency."

Regulatory officials has been contacted for a statement.