More mystery balls have appeared in New South Wales just months after several Sydney beaches were closed by toxic debris.
Dozens of similar-looking objects were spotted on six beaches near Dalmeny and Narooma on the New South Wales south coast last week.
The New South Wales Environmental Protection Authority has confirmed that it is aware of the latest objects that have appeared 350 kilometers from Sydney.
“The debris balls are currently being stored at a licensed waste facility on the south coast and we are testing them as part of our waste sorting process,” the spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia on Wednesday night.
‘We are testing them… to determine how they should be disposed of.
“We are carrying out tests to determine what the debris balls found in Dalmeny and Mystery Bay are made of and until testing is completed, we cannot confirm their contents.”
It comes after the EPA revealed last Friday that 20 balls were found on Pooles Beach, near Narooma, on December 11.
On the same day, more balls were found along a 200-meter stretch of nearby 1080 Beach.
The worrying discovery comes after toxic black balls appeared on seven eastern Sydney beaches in October, including Bondi, Coogee and Maroubra.
The latest debris balls washing up on New South Wales beaches are currently being tested
The mysterious objects (pictured) were found on six beaches near Dalmeny and Narooma on the New South Wales south coast.
Affected beaches were closed while health and safety workers searched areas for strange debris.
Tests found the balls were likely made from medications, human feces and chemicals, but experts were unable to identify the source of the contamination.
Chemical analysis also showed that the orbs contained traces of drugs, including THC from cannabis and even methamphetamine.
Upon further examination, traces of cooking oil and soap were also found. Debris was also discovered in Kiama in November.
Debris forced officials to close several beaches on the New South Wales south coast over the past week for public safety reasons, but they have since reopened.
Narooma Chamber of Commerce president Stephanie Dibden said the presence of debris is the last thing tourism operators need with Christmas just a week away.
Business leaders fear mysterious objects found on beaches on the New South Wales south coast could hit tourism over the Christmas period.
“We rely on this six-week Christmas period for the majority of our trading throughout the year,” Ms Dibden told the ALPHABET.
‘It will cast a long shadow of disappointment for those tourists who come specifically for that beach getaway.
“Something like that might even discourage people from coming.”
Experts have warned the problem poses big risks to people visiting beaches in the area and believe the balls may have floated from Sydney to the south coast.
The EPA previously said it is unclear where the balls came from due to a lack of similar samples.
“Experts were unable to determine where the balls came from because there were no samples available for comparison,” they said.
In November, University of New South Wales associate professor Jon Beves, who carried out tests on the balls found on Sydney beaches, said they were not formed by an oil spill as many thought.
The discovery forced officials to close several beaches along the state’s southern coast last week over public safety concerns (Narooma file image).
“Our analyzes show that the material is not natural and cannot be attributed solely to an oil spill,” Professor Beves said.
“It’s more consistent with human-generated waste.”
The EPA has urged people who have found similar ball-shaped debris not to pick it up and to notify authorities.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted the EPA for further comment.