"Last week, after torrential rain in Sydney, fresh poo balls washed up on the beach at Malabar, the closest beach to the problematic Malabar sewage treatment plant. Signs were erected on the beach warning people not to touch the debris balls or swim. But authorities didn't let the wider community know. There were no other warnings issued by Sydney Water, the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) or the state government."
"In mid-October, Guardian Australia reported the team of scientists analysing the debris was investigating whether the balls could be linked to sewage and whether they could have come from a nearby water treatment plant. Sydney Water pushed back hard. Its media team attempted to have any reference to the corporation removed from the story. Elsewhere, it continued to be widely reported that they were tar balls."
"Guardian Australia understands the EPA knew the pollutant material was consistent with human-generated waste as early as 25 October 2024. But the finding that they were mini fatbergs containing human faeces was announced late on Wednesday 6 November right when US election results were dominating news headlines. At the time, the source of the balls was still said to be unknown. NSW regulator chose to reveal content of Sydney's mystery beach balls on day of US election, Guardian Australia reported."
Fresh poo balls containing human faeces washed onto Malabar beach after torrential rain, prompting on-site signage warning against touching the debris or swimming. Authorities did not issue wider public warnings; Sydney Water, the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) and the state government issued no additional community alerts. The debris initially was labelled 'mystery tar balls' when they first appeared at Coogee in October 2024. Scientists investigated links to sewage and nearby treatment plants while Sydney Water disputed any connection and sought removal of corporate references from coverage. The EPA identified the material as consistent with human-generated waste by 25 October 2024, but the mini-fatberg finding was publicly announced on 6 November.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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