Name: Tar balls believed to have originated from waste facility
Uploaded: 2025-10-25T06:44:02.257Z
Duration: 1 min 59 s
Description: Sydney Water’s Malabar Wastewater Treatment System has been identified as the likely source of the mysterious black balls that prompted beach closures across NSW. Several beaches were closed last year when the tar balls were discovered.

Sydney Water’s Malabar Wastewater Treatment System has been identified as the likely source of the mysterious black balls that prompted beach closures across NSW. Several beaches were closed last year when the tar balls were discovered.

Council of the City of Sydney

Spheres composed of fats, oil, and grease have been found on several Sydney beaches, with the NSW Environment Protection Authority identifying the Malabar Wastewater Treatment System as the likely source. The debris appeared between October 2024 and February, affecting popular locations such as Bondi, Bronte, and Manly. 

Experts have raised concerns about the capacity of the treatment facility due to increased population and restaurant waste, suggesting upgrades and stricter enforcement of waste management requirements. Sydney Water maintains that all coastal treatment plants are operating within environmental license conditions and is working to prevent future occurrences, following recommendations from an independent expert panel.

Tar balls believed to have originated from waste facility

They were an off-putting kind of beach ball that began washing up on Sydney beaches a year ago. Now the NSW Environment Protection Authority has revealed these tiny spheres likely came from the Malabar Wastewater Treatment System before ending up on our shores. They're what we call fats, oil and grease and fats, oil and grease are part of sewerage so people will be familiar with fatbergs that are causing lots of problems in sewers around the world. If you'd like to swim in a sewer then I guess it's fine but otherwise yeah I mean the health implications are probably not great. Malabar drains wastewater through western Sydney and all the way up to Fairfield. It goes through a treatment process before being discharged as deepwater ocean outfall about 3.6 kilometres from the shore. But between October 2024 and February this year debris washed up as mystery balls at several popular Sydney beaches including Bondi, Bronte and Manly. Some experts are calling for an upgrade to the waste facility here at Malabar with an increase in population and restaurants in the area seeing more waste being pumped in. At some point there's the sewers that lead to Malabar will reach capacity. In a statement today Sydney Water said all coastal treatment plants including Malabar are operating within their environmental license condition. Professor Khan says Sydney Water may need to crack down on ensuring venues have the correct waste requirements and grease traps in place and may even need to consider creating another treatment plant further west. The EPA's independent wastewater expert panel recommended Sydney Water undertake further investigations and actions to pinpoint potential sources of the debris. Sydney Water says it's working to prevent future wash-ups. If that's the source of where they've come from and nothing has changed at the treatment plant there then I don't think there's any reason to think that it wouldn't happen again in future. Michaela Fanto, 10 News.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he has ordered the military to carry out powerful strikes on the Gaza Strip. This comes after Israel accused Hamas of violating their fragile peace deal by returning the wrong remains of a hostage.

Jerusalem

Middle East Conflict

Netanyahu orders strikes on Gaza over wrong hostage remains

Hurricane Melissa, a massive Category 5 storm, made landfall in Jamaica, barreling in from the Atlantic with 185 mph sustained winds, the National Hurricane Center said. CBS News meteorologist Jessica Burch has more.

Kingston

Hurricane Melissa makes landfall in Jamaica

The ASEAN bloc of Southeast Asian nations and China signed an upgrade to their free trade agreement, which includes sections on digital, the green economy and other new industries, Beijing's Commerce Ministry said.

Kuala Lumpur

Global Tariffs

China and ASEAN, hit by U.S. tariffs, sign upgraded free trade pact

President Trump met with new Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Tuesday and signed a trade agreement that the countries made over the summer. CBS News' Ramy Inocencio has the latest.

Tokyo

Trump touts trade deals with Japan, heaps praise on new prime minister

Argentina's president, Javier Milei's party, has won a decisive victory in Sunday's mid-term elections. The vote is seen as a support for his economic reforms and drastic austerity measures. In recent weeks, U.S. President Donald Trump had pledged a 40-billion-dollar bailout to bolster Argentina's failing economy and had endorsed Milei publicly.

Buenos Aires

Argentine markets jump after Milei party victory

Venezuela is accusing the U.S. of preparing a false flag attack as the U.S. continues to escalate its military presence in the Caribbean after carrying out multiple deadly strikes on boats the Trump administration said were carrying drugs.

Caracas

Venezuela accuses U.S. of preparing false flag attack

U.S. President Donald Trump declined to meet with Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney as trade tensions linger, while China and the United States moved toward easing tariffs.

China urges free trade amid U.S. tariff talks at ASEAN summit

Ten people are on trial in Paris for spreading false rumors about French first lady Brigitte Macron’s gender and personal life. The case, involving influencers and online figures, comes as the Macrons also pursue legal action in the U.S. over similar attacks spread by far-right media.

Paris

Brigitte Macron harassment trial opens in Paris

Millions of Americans are set to lose Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits and federal food aid starting Nov. 1 as the government shutdown continues, according to a post on the U.S. Department of Agriculture's website.

Washington

Millions of Americans set to lose SNAP benefits starting Nov. 1

The USS Gravely docked in Trinidad and Tobago as the Trump administration signals possible land strikes against Venezuela. CBS News national security correspondent Charlie D'Agata has more details.

Trump admin alludes to Venezuelan land strikes

U.S. President Donald Trump stopped in Japan on his Asia trip, meeting with the country's emperor. Also planned during the trip is a meeting with China's Xi Jinping. Trump said he thinks "we're going to have a good deal with China" after months of trade tensions.

Trump lands in Japan with U.S.-China deal in sight

Two suspects were arrested over the weekend in connection to the Louvre museum heist in Paris, a week after the brazen daylight robbery at the world's most-visited museum.

Arrests made in heist at Paris' Louvre museum

Hurricane Melissa was upgraded to a Category 5 storm and is expected to make landfall in Jamaica Monday night or early Tuesday. CBS News correspondent Jason Allen has more from Kingston, while CBS News New York meteorologist Tony Sadiku has the latest forecast.

Jamaica braces for landfall as Hurricane Melissa becomes Category 5

U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in Japan Monday, disembarking from Air Force One after flying from Malaysia. Trump will meet new Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi amid the prospect of completing a joint deal to promote shipbuilding capacity.

Trump arrives in Japan, due to meet emperor and new prime minister

Venezuela on Sunday (October 26) condemned what it said was a military provocation by neighboring Trinidad and Tobago in coordination with the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, aimed at spurring a full military confrontation with the Latin American nation.

Venezuela condemns 'provocation' by CIA and Trinidad and Tobago

The party of Argentinian President Javier Milei has won midterm elections clinching a crucial vote of confidence in his free-market reforms and deep austerity measures. Early results show Milei's Libertarian Party secured more than 40 percent of votes.

Argentina's midterms deliver huge win for Milei's libertarian agenda

Argentines are voting in legislative elections that will test support for President Javier Milei's free-market reforms and deep austerity measures and determine whether he has the backing to continue his economic overhaul

Argentines vote in high-stakes test of Milei's vision

Beijing decided to implement tighter restrictions on rare earths exports that are needed for advanced technologies. In response, Trump threatened additional tariffs on Chinese imports.

U.S.-China trade deal closing in ahead of meeting between Trump and Xi

U.S President Donald Trump has presided over the signing of a peace accord between Thailand and Cambodia. Trump helped broker a ceasefire between the two after a deadly dispute on the border in July.

Trump signs Thailand-Cambodia ceasefire pact

French authorities have made arrests in connection with the recent theft of jewellery from the Louvre Museum in Paris, however it's uncertain whether any jewels have been recovered. One of the men taken into custody was preparing to leave the country at a Paris Airport.

Arrests made in Louvre jewellery heist by French police: Paris prosecutor

Russian President Vladimir Putin, dressed in military fatigues, met army chief Valery Gerasimov for an update on Ukraine’s front lines. Putin also praised the successful test of the Burevestnik nuclear-powered missile, which reportedly flew 14,000 kilometres in 15 hours.

Moscow

Ukraine Invasion

Putin hails long-range nuclear missile as Russia pushes deeper into Ukraine

Hurricane Melissa rapidly intensified from a Tropical Storm to a Category 4 hurricane in 24 hours and is still undergoing rapid intensification. It is expected to be a Category 5 storm by Monday. Melissa is forecast to bring life-threatening, catastrophic rainfall and storm surge to Jamaica, as well as Haiti and Cuba.

Category 4 Hurricane Melissa to bring catastrophic impacts

Left-wing independent Catherine Connolly, who secured the backing of Ireland's left-leaning parties including Sinn Féin, has won the country's presidential election in a landslide victory against her centre-right rival.

Dublin

Left-winger Catherine Connolly wins Irish presidency

It took the French police almost a week to make their first arrests in connection with the investigation into the theft of the jewels of the French sovereigns from the Apollo Gallery.

Louvre robbery: two suspects arrested, Paris prosecutor says

Moscow says it successfully tested a Burevestnik nuclear missile this week, with Russian president Vladimir Putin saying it is "unlike any other in the world."

Testing of 'unique' new Russian weapon successful, says Putin

On the sidelines of the ASEAN summit in Malaysia, U.S. President Donald Trump oversaw the signing of a ceasefire deal between Cambodia and Thailand. Trump is on a multi-stop tour of Asia, meeting allies in an attempt to resolve a trade war with China.

Trump's ASEAN visit yields Thai-Cambodian truce, trade deals

Kingston's waterfront in Jamaica was empty on Saturday, with the first bands of rain from Hurricane Melissa hitting the island. But in some parts of the city, they are still racing to prepare for the storm. Jason Allen reports.

Jamaica braces for Hurricane Melissa

U.S President Donald Trump says he plans to hike tariffs on imports of Canadian goods by an extra 10 per cent because of an anti-tariff television ad aired by the province of Ontario.

Ontario

Trump announces new punishing tariffs on Canada

French media reports that the Louvre has moved some of its most precious jewels out of the museum for safekeeping. The jewels were moved from the Apollo Gallery, the scene of Sunday's heist, according to French radio.

Louvre moves most precious jewels out of museum for safekeeping

The United States is stepping up its military presence in the Caribbean by ordering its most advanced aircraft carrier into the region. Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro accused the U.S. of using drug trafficking claims to "fabricate a war" in Latin America.

Breakdown