Tar balls make appearance along Coastal Bend beaches – kiiitv.com

Blobs of tar have been know to wash up onto our local beaches this time of year and once again it's back.

Bill Churchwell, KIII 11:17 PM. CDT August 09, 2017

CORPUS CHRISTI (KIII NEWS) - Blobs of tar have been know to wash up onto our local beaches this time of year and once again it's back.

The reports are something that has prompted a cleanup response from the U.S. Coast Guard from Corpus Christi along with the Texas General Land Office.

From Port Aransas down to the Padre Island National Seashore, giant globs of tar have been discovered on our local beaches, some as large as 4-5 feet in diameter.

Brent Koza with the Texas General Land Office told 3 News, "over the past two weeks, we've recovered about 1700 gallons of tar. It's old and weathered."

The Texas General Land Office has partnered with the US Coast Guard to patrol our coast line and properly dispose of the patties.

The phenomenon is not something new to our area. Officials say the tar can occur naturally.

Still, samples will also be taken and analyzed to see where it's all coming from.

If you step on it, the gooey tar can stick to your feet or clothing and can prove difficult to get off.

The good news is that the latest tar that has been discovered seems to be more solid. Officials are still advising people to stay clear of it. "As the tar weathers in the environment, it becomes solid. It's not sticky or tacky to the touch, which is usually when you start worrying more about public health and safety and the threat to our wildlife around here."

The funding to support the response efforts will remain open throughout the peak of hurricane season.

2017 KIII-TV

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Tar balls make appearance along Coastal Bend beaches - kiiitv.com

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