Months after some of Sydney's most popular beaches were closed due to mysterious black balls, small marble-like debris has begun washing up on the city's beaches once again.
The balls – this time in gray or white – have prompted councils to close nine beaches, including the popular Manly and Dee Beaches, while authorities investigate.
Eight beaches, including Bondi, were closed for several days in October, and a massive clean-up was ordered after thousands of black deposits began appearing on the coast.
Tests conducted by the authorities concluded that these balls were most likely the result of a sewage leak.
Northern Beaches Mayor Sue Hynes said the final balls “could be anything”, according to The Guardian Australia.
She added: “We don't know at the moment what it is, and that makes it even more worrying.”
“There's something that's obviously leaking or falling…floats out there and gets thrown away.”
In a Facebook post on Tuesday, Northern Beaches Council said it had been alerted about the new debris by the NSW Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
The agency and council plan to collect the finds for testing and examine other beaches in the area as well.
The council added that anyone who discovered the balls was urged to contact the authorities.
Although widely reported to be “tar balls,” the wreckage in October was discovered to contain everything from cooking oil and soap scum particles, to blood pressure medications, pesticides, hair, methamphetamine, and veterinary medicine. .
Scientists said they resemble fats, oils and grease blobs – often called grease clumps – that commonly form in sewage systems.
However, Sydney Water said there are no known issues with the city's waste systems, and authorities still do not know the source of the materials, leading some to express concerns about the safety of the city's beaches.
“The EPA cannot explain the source of the human waste that causes these greasy mountains, nor can it assure the public that Sydney's beaches are safe to use,” state Greens politician Sue Higginson said in a statement in December.
