Newfoundland beach blobs are plastic pollution, but source remains unknown: scientist

ST. JOHN’S, N.L. –

A Memorial University scientist says the mysterious white blobs washing up on Newfoundland beaches are actually gobs of plastic — and they need to be cleaned up.

Earth science professor Hilary Corlett collected a few sticky globs from a beach in Arnold’s Cove, N.L., last month and took them to chemistry professor Christopher Kozak.

He performed a series of tests and determined the blobs were made of polyvinyl acetate, a plastic commonly found in adhesives.

Corlett says testing shows the gunk is plastic pollution and safe to touch, and she hopes there will be beach cleanup efforts to remove it.

She also hopes officials will work to determine where the substance came from, and whether there are more blobs — possibly much larger — sitting on the ocean floor.

Environment Canada did not immediately return a request for comment, but said Friday its scientists were analyzing the substance and that officials could not speculate about what it might be or where it came from.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 5, 2024.