Tar balls washing ashore at Palm Beach, Pompano Beach, and Deerfield Beach over the weekend were an unusual sight for beachgoers in southeast Florida.
To find the origin of the dark, sticky lumps, which can vary in size from a pinhead to almost a foot in diameter, the U.S. Coast Guard has opened an investigation.
Despite doing boat and helicopter assessments, the personnel oftheCoastGuardcannot pinpoint the source of the tar balls.
These are oily residues resultingfromnatural seepage from the ocean floor, offshore drilling, or spills from transportation via the marine but haveemergedsuddenly,raisingconcernsin this regard.
Coast Guard Petty Officer Diana Sherbs said, “We are coordinating with local government agencies to prepare for future cleanup operations.”
Officials in Palm Beach County have maintained the openness of monitored beaches despite the tar balls. Visitors are urged to use caution, though. Tar balls are not a health hazard, according to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), but rather a “nuisance.”
Officials advise washing with fresh water and cleaning the afflicted regions with mineral oil or a grease remover if the sticky material sticks to the skin.
Beachgoers are urged to contact the National Response Center at 800-424-8802 to report any new contamination they may across.
To decide whether more action is required, authorities will keep an eye on the situation.
