'Tar balls' on Sydney beaches are not just oil. They contain some awful and nasty things

Sydney, Australia

Mysterious black blobs that washed ashore in Sydney a few weeks back are not merely tar balls, as identified earlier. In fact, a new analysis has revealed that they are much more disgusting than initially thought. These balls are fat aggregates comprising human faeces, forever chemicals, and methamphetamine.

Notably, hundreds of so-called tar balls filled Sydney's beaches in mid-October, triggering panic among people. The beaches had to be closed for days and clean-up operations were initiated. Workers in hazmat suits collected the balls and sent them for testing.

At the time, they were determined to be tar balls formed from an oil spill. They were said to contain unrefined oil and debris but were “not extremely toxic” to humans.

But further testing by scientists at the University of New South Wales revealed the extremely gross nature of these balls. The researchers explain in The Conversation that while the blobs are mostly carbon, they are not made up of fossil fuel. 

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Human faecal matter in balls

Using a method called spectroscopy, they found that the balls contained “human waste” and some fats and oils. They also noticed the presence of greasy molecules usually found in soap scum, cooking oil and food sources.

Mass spectrometry further revealed organic molecules like fatty acids and glycerides, along with “vehicle-grade fuels”. 

Traces of forever chemicals were also found in the balls, as they were found to contain toxic industrial chemicals like perfluoroalkyl substances. Then they also had pesticides, steroidal compounds like norgestrel, veterinary drugs, and certain medications. 

Human faecal waste was the most disgusting content of the balls. There were traces of cholesterol molecules and recreational drugs such as methamphetamine and tetrahydrocannabinol from cannabis in them.

Researchers believe the balls originated from domestic sewage and industrial runoff.