What mysterious balls washed up on Australian beaches: fecal bacteria found in them

Strange and smelly balls have washed up on popular beaches in Australia. Researchers have found that these mysterious balls contain fecal bacteria.

Detailed testing revealed that the white and gray balls that washed up on the shore contained a mixture of harmful substances, including fecal bacteria, fatty acids, and E. coli. Because of this, nine beaches in Sydney were closed, Newsweek writes.

"In addition to the hydrocarbons found in previous test results, the latest results indicate the presence of saturated fatty acids, as well as fecal coliforms and E-col," the Sydney North Beaches Council said in a statement.

The washed-up balls were also sent to the New South Wales Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) for a more detailed analysis of what they contain.

Interestingly, the researchers also found volcanic pumice in the strange balls collected on some beaches.

As a reminder, in October 2024, strange smelly balls were already found on the coast of Australia. Due to their black color, these golf ball-sized pieces of garbage were nicknamed "tar balls." They continued to appear on the coast in the same area for several months.

Testing at the time showed that these balls were not made of tar at all, but were a mixture of human feces, recreational drugs, human hair, PFAS chemicals, diesel fuel, and cooking oil, experts recall.

With the recent wave of new balls that look different, the EPA is looking into where they might have come from.

"Investigating pollution incidents from unknown sources is incredibly challenging. But we will be working with other government agencies to find out," said Adam Gilligan, EPA's director of operations.

"The investigation will include possible land-based causes, such as Sydney Water's sewer system, and stormwater systems, as well as marine sources, such as a cruise ship or other vessels. We are also looking at potential illegal dumping of trade waste into the water," Gilligan added.

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