Concern over mysterious tennis ball-sized balls appearing on Australian beaches

Sydney is famous for its beaches which attracts millions of international tourists every year. But today these coasts have attracted attention not because of their beauty, but because of a mysterious phenomenon that has occurred in recent days.

Thousands of black balls appeared along its banks, of unknown origin and similar in size to a tennis ball.

The event forced some of the city’s most popular beaches to Australia had to temporarily close due to concerns that the material was toxic and posed a risk to human health.

The curious spheres were first reported on October 15 in Damn one of Sydney’s most iconic beaches. The next day they were discovered Gordon Bay which is located north of Cogee.

After the discovery, the mayor of the Randwick district (east of Sydney), Dylan Parker, announced that the coasts would be closed until further notice and that swimmers were advised not to touch or approach material.

The incident was immediately reported to the NSW Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) to develop a “clean-up methodology and safe waste disposal process”, he said. detailed via social networks.

Additionally, a NSW Port Authority boat attempted to recover the bales before they reached the sand, while clean-up crews on the ground removed the debris with shovels and gloves.

However, as the hours passed, the spheres continued to appear on other beaches in the Randwick district. It is about Clovelly, Maroubra and Malabar which were also closed as a precaution.

Other coastlines belonging to the Waverley district, such as the iconic Bondi, Tamarama and Brontë underwent the same measure.

Randwick City Council said a full investigation had been launched to determine the origin and composition of the items found. The first suspicions were that it was an oil spill.

“At this stage it is unclear what these are, but they may be ‘tar balls’ that form when oil comes into contact with debris and water, usually as a result oil spills or infiltrations. “, they added.

As shown Tutor City Hall jet skis identified what is believed to be an oil spill at sea. However, the Port Authority has assured that no ships have reported oil spills in this area.

“It is the responsibility of all vessels to report any spills to the relevant authorities,” the entity said in a statement.

As authorities conduct an investigation to clarify how the trash reached beaches, the Society for Maritime Conservation of Australia has warned that This event represented a danger for the marine ecosystem especially whales, fish, sea turtles and birds.

“Tar balls can persist for long periods of time in the marine environment, and even small amounts of oil can disrupt entire food chains, affecting everything from plankton to larger predators. » noted the entity via his Instagram.

On Saturday October 19, closed Sydney beaches were able to reopen after analyzes showed that the ball-shaped remains are not highly toxic to humans.

According to NSW Director of Maritime Affairs Mark Hutchings, the mysterious spheres have been identified “They are composed of fatty acids, chemicals compatible with those found in cleaning products and cosmetics, mixed with fuel” .

Hutchins added that it has been identified that these residues They are not toxic to humans, but should not be handled anyway.

“They are not harmful when on the ground, but should not be touched or picked up. If you see these balls, notify a rescuer. If you or your family touches one by accident, wash your hands with soap and water or baby oil,” the authority detailed, according to the Australian network. ABC .

For now, the EPA continues to conduct laboratory tests to determine the source of the elements.