Sydney’s beaches have reopened after being closed earlier this week due to thousands of strange black, tar-like balls appearing along the shorelines.
Officials shut down eight beaches, including the popular Bondi Beach, as a safety measure while investigations began.
Tests revealed that the tar balls contained chemicals similar to those found in cleaning products and cosmetics. However, the source of the pollution is still unknown. New South Wales Environment Minister Penny Sharpe confirmed that investigations are ongoing to figure out where the balls came from and who may be responsible.
The NSW maritime authority said the balls were not highly toxic but warned people not to touch them. “They are made of fatty acids and a bit of fuel oil,” explained Mark Hutchings, the maritime authority’s executive director. While the tar balls are not dangerous on the ground, lifeguards advised beachgoers to report any sightings and avoid handling them.
The Environment Protection Authority said it could take a few more days to determine the origin of the strange deposits. Officials urged anyone who accidentally touches a tar ball to wash their hands with soap, water, or baby oil. Thanks to quick cleanup efforts, swimmers are now free to enjoy the beaches once again.
very interesting
I loved reading it because, I never knew that maybe chocolate might be gone in the future!
save the chocolate…
I enjoyed this reading because
it show what climate changes does!!
they might have to move most chocolate into a colder place, since the climate clock is getting low
so temperature might get higher.
i love chocolate
I’m allergic to dairy, but this makes me sad for my best friends all around NZ (don’t think it’s weird because I actually do). And my chocolate loving cousin, her name is Dana (I’m from South Korea and she told me how to spell her name in Korean but its not pronounced like Dana).
I know that there are chocolate lovers around the world so, poor them or if you like chocolate poor you (even though I’m allergic to dairy, or to make it easy dairy products: cheese, milk, butter etc).