TARBALLS

Sept. 16, 2021

In this month alone, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has removed over 20,000 kg of tarballs from Juhu and Versova beaches.

About:

  • Tarballs are dark-coloured, sticky balls of oil that form when crude oil floats on the ocean surface. Tarballs are formed by weathering of crude oil in marine environments.

  • They are transported from the open sea to the shores by sea currents and waves.

  • Some of the balls are as big as a basketball while others are smaller globules.

  • Tarballs stick to the cleaning machinery and are very difficult to wash off.