The stinky balls washed up on Australian beaches last month (Picture: NCA Newswire)
‘Disgusting’ black balls which washed up on multiple Australian beaches have been identified as an odd concoction of substances.
Last month, beaches in Sydney were closed as authorities looked into the bizarre black balls which washed onshore.
Now, scientists have discovered they’re made of human faeces, drugs and chemicals.
They’ve been compared to ‘fatbergs’, large masses of solid waste found in sewage systems, often made of of congealed fat and personal hygiene products that have been flushed down toilets.
University of New South Wales chemistry professor Jon Beves helped to find out what the ‘smelly balls’ were made of, and told ABC they were ‘consistent’ with human waste.
He added: ‘I don’t know if it’s come from our local sewer system, or if it’s been discharged from a boat, or if it’s been washed from the sewers into the stormwater, or some other origin that we really don’t know.’
Council workers have been collecting the stinky balls (Picture: NCA Newswire)
Those working to identify the mystery balls had to deal with the bad smell, Professor Beves said, which smelled ‘extremely unpleasant’.
But he was able to find out why they appeared at once: ‘It seems they haven’t come from many different locations, they’re consistent with all coming from one location at one time.’
The exact source of the balls is still unknown, but final results are likely to come in the next week.
Last year, thousands of blue balls washed up on UK shores, baffling beachcombers in Tees Valley.
Lucky for the UK, they weren’t smelly – and researchers were able to find out where they came from.
They range in size from small to large (Picture: NCA Newswire)
According to experts at Tees Valley Wildlife Trust, the balls originate from Hartlepool power station, which use the abrasive spheres to clean the system’s pipes.
Dubbed ‘Taprogge balls’ after their manufacturer, the balls are rarely released into the sea, but sometimes need to be dumped if there is a sudden build-up of pressure.
Locals said storms may have disrupted a large gathering of the balls on the sea bed, launching them back onto the shores.
At least they weren’t made of human waste.
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