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The water company is conducting an inquiry after a vast number of polluted polymer pellets appeared on Camber Sands beach, raising fears of a possible "ecological disaster".

The plastic pellets could have a dire impact on marine life, as stated by a local MP, with concerns that rare sea life, including coastal birds, small cetaceans, and seals, might consume them and perish.

A local official believes the pellets may have been released from a nearby water treatment centre and has sent a letter to the water company's chief executive, requesting an account.

Camber Sands, situated in East Sussex, is a highly popular shoreline, known for rare dune habitat and vast stretches of fine grains.

Volunteers have been working urgently to remove the pellets, collecting multiple sacks with the plastic waste, but the scale of the pollution spill is immense, and it is improbable they will be able to remove all of them.

An expert from a environmental organization remarked over the weekend, "This is the worst pollution event I have ever witnessed. It is polluted polymer. Marine animals will ingest small plastic items once they are in the sea; they will draw in microorganisms, they will smell like food, 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 plunging seabirds."

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

"They are so small that from a very long way off, the beach appears unaffected. But as soon as you get close up, you see there are countless dark beads, nestled under seaweed. It’s an unachievable mission – volunteers 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 contaminated shoreline."

The local MP, who joined the removal work, 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 increased mortality among marine species on the beach."

"Community members are working tirelessly to remove as many pellets as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. The water company must urgently establish if their local wastewater plants could be the source of these pellets, and I’ve asked them to dedicate all available resources to aiding the removal efforts in the meantime."

The beads are additionally hazardous to dogs as they contain a significant amount of PAHs, which are recognized for carcinogenic properties, and they frequently include toxins including heavy metals, antimony, and chemical elements.

A spokesperson for the water company stated, "We are collaborating with the Environment Agency and district authorities to look into the source of polymer pellets which have been deposited on Camber Beach. The inquiry is ongoing."

"Local officials is overseeing removal of the beach, using specialists with a specialized machinery to extract the pellets. We are additionally assisting with the removal process."

"We’ve conducted water-quality sampling on the beach, which has shown no impact to the aquatic environment. This data has been provided with the district council and the regulatory body."

The Environment Agency has been reached out to for a statement.