-Caveat Lector- What Could It Be? Mysterious Blobs Along N.J. Shore Have Scientists Scratching Their Heads 9.56 a.m. ET (1356 GMT) September 12, 1999 By Michael P. Regan SEA ISLE CITY, NJ — Environmentalists, tourists and local officials agree: They've never seen anything quite like it. Mike Regan/Fox News Like nothing you've ever seen on the beach In fact, authorities were so puzzled by the huge blobs of the white, gelatinous substance that washed up on the Jersey Shore last week they had to send pieces of it to a lab in Louisiana. They are still waiting to hear back on what the material is. At least they know a little about what it isn't. The estimated five to seven tons of material — which was on the shore in at least four communities — is neither toxic nor radioactive. And while "the blob" doesn't appear harmful to humans, some environmentalists are wondering what it might do to sea life. "It may be harmful to other animals," said Tony Totah, a marine biologist with New Jersey's nonprofit Clean Ocean Action group. Totah is especially concerned sea turtles and small whales may mistake the material for jellyfish or other saltwater delectables. "They may try eating it and it may block their digestive system," Totah said. And if smaller parasites start growing on the chunks, he said, "that makes it look more inviting to them." And humans, too, could not resist giving the rubbery chunks — some as long as 15 feet — a poke or two with bare feet or sticks. It Came From the Sea Beachgoers were startled Labor Day when the mysterious blobs — which resembled giant pieces of used chewing gum — rode ashore along waves churned by the remnants of tropical storm Dennis. The material landed on the sand in the towns of Atlantic City, Ocean City, Strathmere and Sea Isle City, officials said. "It was treated like a solid waste and is not going to have a residual or environmental impact" Some people didn't know what to think. "I'm surprised the EPA didn't react with some type of press release or public service announcement," said Chris Onderdonk, a tourist from Pennsylvania who watched the blobs wash up. "I'll tell you, some people were afraid it might be a health hazard. ... I was surprised to see parents letting their kids play on it even though they knew nothing about it." An emergency response team from New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) rushed to the beaches Monday to do field tests. But they determined the blobs nontoxic, and decided to keep the beaches open. "It wasn't radioactive, didn't have any hazardous aspects to it," said Loretta O'Donnell, a spokesperson for the DEP. "It was treated like a solid waste," she said, and is "not going to have a residual or environmental impact." Coast Guard Lt. Dan Higman said the field tests are accurate enough to assess their risks. Nonetheless, the Coast Guard sent samples down to a lab in Louisiana to find out more. "The hope is that if we can ID exactly what it is, we may be able to track it to a source," Higman said. "It's just so large, the clumps of it coming in are huge, so we really have no idea," Higman said. The theories along the beach in Sea Isle City ranged anywhere from space aliens to some kind of elaborate packaging used by drug smugglers. Higman said the lab tests that will give the chemical breakdown of the blobs should be back this week. Until then, officials and beachgoers continue to speculate on the origin of the puzzling chunks. The theories along the beach in Sea Isle City on Monday ranged anywhere from space alien lifeforms to some kind of elaborate packaging used by drug smugglers. "Some of the best guesses are it might have come from a vessel offshore, or a container might have fallen overboard," Higman said. The only thing remotely similar to these chunks, Higman said, was "a spill up around that neck of the woods about three years ago." He said that "wound up being a component of hand cream." Not that anyone should rub this stuff on their chafed hands. "If they don't know what it is that's washing up on the beach, people shouldn't handle it," said Totah, the marine biologist. "If it's something that doesn't look natural, who could say that next year something happens and people say it's the same stuff and it's not the same stuff." [EMAIL PROTECTED] © 1999, News America Digital Publishing, Inc. d/b/a Fox News Online. All rights reserved. Fox News is a registered trademark of 20th Century Fox Film Corp. DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion and informational exchange list. Proselyzting propagandic screeds are not allowed. Substance—not soapboxing! 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