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Tar balls from BP oil spill reach Texas surf

Other News Materials 6 July 2010 20:53 (UTC +04:00)
Tar balls from the BP oil spill have reached Texas beaches, with all five US states along the Gulf of Mexico coast now experiencing effects from the gusher, DPA reported.
Tar balls from BP oil spill reach Texas surf

Tar balls from the BP oil spill have reached Texas beaches, with all five US states along the Gulf of Mexico coast now experiencing effects from the gusher, DPA reported.

Officials confirmed late Monday that the tar globs found in water off Galveston County in south-eastern Texas trace to the Deepwater Horizon disaster.

Crews collected about 132 litres of matter, including 26 litres of tar balls, on the Bolivar Peninsula and on East Beach, popular tourist destinations long known for pristine beaches.

It remains unclear how the dime-sized to nickel-size tar balls arrived on Crystal Beach about 640 kilometres west of the source of the spill. Since the remnants are slightly weathered, they may have been transported on a vessel, officials said.

Since the Deepwater Horizon rig exploded and sank on April 20, most of the oil contaminating the Gulf has spread eastward on currents.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), occasional brief contact with a small amount of oil will cause no harm to most people. However, those sensitive to chemicals, including the hydrocarbons found in crude oil and petroleum products, should use caution and wash themselves if they come in contact with oi

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