Ah, Australia! The land of kangaroos, koalas, and now… tar balls? Yes, you heard it right! Just when you thought the beaches were only good for sunbathing, a bunch of mysterious, black, spherical debris decides to crash the party. It’s like a big oily birthday surprise – and guess what? It’s not going to be a very ‘clean’ celebration!
Now, the unsuspecting beachgoers at Coogee Beach had quite the day on October 15th when scientists stumbled upon hundreds of these delightful little tar balls. They look suspiciously like black golf balls, but alas, they don’t come with a free driver or a round of golf. No, these beauties are a far cry from the good ol’ fun of a beach day. The authorities acted faster than a seagull on a hot chip, closing a slew of beaches in the Randwick area to keep people away from the gooey mess.
So, what are these tar balls, you ask? Well, apparently, they are a gift from the oily depths of the sea, likely linked to an oil spill. Tar balls are what you get when oil meets water and dirt – basically a gross, sticky party crasher. The local mayor, Dylan Parker, put on his detective hat and chalked up the potential sources of these tar balls as either a naughty oil spill or perhaps even runoff from a nearby sewage treatment plant. That’s the kind of logic that wins you an ‘Australian Crime Scene Investigation’ award – or at the very least, a spot on a cringe-worthy nature documentary!
But here’s the kicker: while these tarry nuisances aren’t harmful to lucky humans (thank goodness we’re not part of a giant greasy KFC bucket just yet), don’t go looking to add them to your beach souvenir collection. The Randwick Council has advised folks to leave them alone and report any findings to the lifeguards. Because, you know, there’s nothing quite like a lifeguard response to a fun beach-related tar ball incident!
As of now, town hall has assured us that they’ll be keeping a close watch on those beaches. Regular inspections are on the agenda – and by regular, I mean they’ll probably be doing more beach waving than sunbathing. So here’s hoping those tar balls decide to keep their distance and swim back to where they belong.
Stay tuned, folks, because if the tests indicate these balls originated from a sewage plant instead of an oil slick, we might soon be seeing a whole new reality show: Keeping Up with the Sewage. And trust me, you won’t want to miss the drama!
Australia
Updated on October 18, 2024, 5:42 p.m
Workers in protective gear cleared the unknown rubbish that washed up on Sydney’s Coogee Beach. (Recorded on October 17th) © IMAGO/AAP/DAN HIMBRECHTS
Hundreds of mysterious tar-like balls had washed up on a popular beach in suburban Sydney. Scientists now have a guess as to what the clumps might be.
After “mysterious, black, spherical debris” appeared on beaches in a suburb of the Australian metropolis of Sydney on Tuesday (October 15), authorities were wondering what it was and where the bullets could have come from.
Beaches in the township of Randwick in Sydney’s east have been temporarily closed following the discovery of mysterious debris. © IMAGO/AAP/STEVEN MARKHAM
For safety reasons, the affected beach sections have been closed until further notice. The beaches of Coogee, Clovelly, Maroubra, Malabar and Gordons Bay will reopen on Saturday (October 19th).
Hundreds of small balls were seen on Coogee Beach on Tuesday. The first guess: “It could be tar balls that form when oil comes into contact with dirt and water, typically as a result of oil spills or seepage,” said local mayor Dylan Parker.
This assessment has now proven to be true. Randwick Council said on Wednesday evening that preliminary test results had identified the balls as tar lumps.
Clumps of tar could come from an oil spill or sewage runoff
Scientists who examined the bullets now believe they probably came from an oil spill. But a connection to a nearby sewage treatment plant cannot be ruled out. As the Guardian reportstests showed the debris was a hydrocarbon-based pollutant – the main ingredient in petroleum-based products.
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University of New South Wales chemistry expert Jon Beves is part of the team of scientists analyzing the debris. He told the newspaper that the “most logical answer” was that the bullets were made from crude oil. However, the balls would also have contained other fatty materials, including fatty acids. That means they may have come from a sewage drain and not an oil spill or a leak off the coast. “I wouldn’t rule out the possibility that they come from wastewater treatment,” he said. According to Beves, further test results, which are expected next week, will confirm whether the balls were made from crude oil.
Tar balls not harmful to humans
The Randwick council, which includes the affected beaches, announced on Friday (October 18).that the responsible authority does not consider the spherical remains to be harmful to humans. However, if stand visitors find debris, they should not touch it but rather report it to lifeguards or the community. Small amounts are currently still being washed up on the beaches.
“Randwick Council will continue to carry out regular inspections of beaches and remove any material as quickly as possible,” promises Mayor Dylan Parker.
Sources used
Updated on October 16, 2024, 3:27 p.m
Authorities have closed two beaches in Sydney. The reason: hundreds of black, golf ball-sized tar balls that washed ashore. The cause and danger of the bullets are still unclear.
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