Toxic Substance Discovered Inside Mystery Balls Found on Sydney Beaches

   The mystery balls that caused the closure of several beaches in Sydney last week have been confirmed to contain saturated acids, E. coli, and faecal bacteria, authorities have revealed.

The Northern Beaches Council stated that the debris has been sent to the New South Wales Environment Protection Authority (EPA) for further investigation. The balls, about the size of marbles, began washing up on nine beaches, including popular spots like Manly and Dee Why, on January 14, leading to the temporary closure of the beaches.

This incident follows a similar situation from October, when thousands of black blobs appeared along Sydney’s coast, prompting authorities to shut down some of the city’s major beaches for several days and launch an extensive clean-up operation. The latest batch of balls was cleared from harbour beaches earlier this week, as confirmed by the Northern Beaches Council in a statement on Tuesday.

The council has urged the public to avoid handling the balls and to report any sightings immediately. In addition to acids and bacteria, the balls were also found to contain volcanic rock pumice, which raised further concerns.

Northern Beaches Mayor Sue Heins expressed hope that the EPA’s analysis would help determine the origin of the debris and prevent similar incidents in the future. “We are continuing to conduct regular inspections of our beaches and encourage the community to report any sightings,” Heins stated.

The earlier batch of debris found in October was initially misidentified as “tar balls,” but subsequent analysis revealed the presence of various substances, including cooking oil, soap scum molecules, blood pressure medication, pesticides, hair, methamphetamine, and veterinary drugs. Experts noted that the blobs resembled “fatbergs,” which are typically formed in sewage systems from fats, oils, and grease.

Despite these concerns, Sydney Water reported that its water treatment plants are operating normally and that no issues with waste systems in the city have been identified. The investigation into the mystery balls and their potential environmental impact continues, with authorities working to determine their source and prevent further appearances on local beaches.