Sydney, Jan 14
Nine beaches in Sydney, the capital city of Australia's state of New South Wales (NSW), have been closed following the return of mystery debris balls that forced beach closures late in 2024.
Sydney's Northern Beaches Council on Tuesday closed nine beaches under its jurisdiction after being notified about the balls washing ashore by the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) in NSW, reports Xinhua news agency.
Those that have been closed include the iconic beach at Manly, one of Sydney's most popular surfing and swimming spots.
"Council was alerted to the debris via the EPA and is working closely with the state agency to collect samples for testing," the council said in a statement.
"So far, most samples identified are marble-sized, with a few larger in size. The council is organizing the safe removal of the matter and is inspecting other beaches."
It advised beachgoers to avoid the affected areas and keep away from the material.
It came after thousands of debris balls washed ashore at seven beaches in Sydney's east in October 2024, forcing their closure for several days.
More of the balls were found at two beaches in southern Sydney in December 2024.
EPA testing of the debris that washed ashore last October found that they were made up of hundreds of components, including fat, food, human waste and drugs.
Experts were unable to detect the origin of the debris but said that it likely came from a source that releases mixed waste.
Testing conducted by the local Randwick City Council identified the debris as tar balls, which are formed when oil comes into contact with debris and water -- usually as the result of an oil spill or seepage at sea.
The maritime authority in the state of New South Wales (NSW) had said that, based on health advice, the substance was not highly toxic to humans.
The first balls were found at the popular Coogee Beach in Sydney's eastern suburbs on Tuesday, prompting its closure.
— IANS
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