City of Sydney bans access to nine beaches after mysterious little balls appear

Pollution potentially of human origin has invaded several beaches in Sydney, Australia. The authorities are worried and have closed these beaches.

Nine Sydney beaches, including iconic Manly Beach, have been closed after white and gray ball-shaped debris washed ashore, local authorities said Tuesday.

Northern Beaches Council said it was alerted to the presence of the debris by the New South Wales State Environmental Protection Authority. He assured to work closely with this organization to collect samples for analysis.

“So far, most of the samples identified are the size of a marble and a few are larger“, according to the council, which is organizing the safe removal of debris and inspecting other beaches. The public is recommended not to approach the debris.

Not the first time

Some popular Sydney beaches, including Coogee in the city’s eastern suburbs, were closed in October after mysterious black balls washed up there. A similar event occurred in December in the area near Sydney Airport.

The New South Wales Environmental Protection Agency said debris released in October likely came from a source that discharges mixed waste, adding its origin could not be identified.

For their part, researchers from the University of New South Wales in Sydney claimed that the balls discovered in October were not natural and could not be attributed solely to an oil spill, as had been suspected. first thought. According to Professor Jon Beves, it was waste of human origin. Among the hundreds of different components found in the balls, he cited “molecules from cooking oil and soap scum, PFAS chemicals, steroid compounds, antihypertensive medications, pesticides, and veterinary drugs“.

sydney white balls pollution australia