Many Island goers have been busy scrubbing off tar from their belongings or their feet.
Beachgoers have reported having difficulty avoiding tar balls scattered along the shoreline.
However, Tony Reisinger, a marine expert assures that these tar balls are not the result of a crude oil spill but are a natural occurrence.
Reisinger, Cameron County’s marine extension agent, explained in an interview with Channel 5 news that the oil rises to the surface and eventually transforms into tar balls that wash ashore. The tar balls originate from oil seeping from the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico. "It's coming off the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico pretty much all the time," Reisinger said.
According to Reisinger this is a normal occurrence that becomes more noticeable in late spring and summer, and assures the public that the balls are more of a nuisance than a health hazard.
To remove tar from clothing, WD-40 is effective, and for tar stuck to the skin, baby oil, dish soap, or cooking oil works well.
