Black lumps, previously thought to be clumps of tar, washed up on a Sydney beach in October. Now, scientists have identified what they actually are. The dark spheres that had closed down a famous Australian beach are fatbergs – balls made up of human feces, drug residue, food waste, chemical byproducts, and even more vile substances.
These black balls, which had been tested and originally thought to be from an oil spill, are still under investigation. Fatbergs are an accumulation of grease, oils, and fats that can get clogged inside of sewage systems. They usually only contain waste coming from the sewer, while the Sydney beach fatbergs have traces of recreational drugs in them.
The original location of the Sydney beach fatbergs is still waiting to be solved by investigators. It is likely to have come from a source that emits mixed waste, hence the trace of drugs present in the mixture. It is still a mystery as to where they have come from.