People have been left perturbed by the sight of a strange pale, foamy substance on Welsh beaches, but experts have explained it's a perfectly normal phenomenon as the weather gets warmer. Natural Resources Wales said its officers have received a few reports from concerned members of the public about "sewage or slurry" on beaches or in the water in parts of South and South West Wales.
But the body has confirmed that it has investigated the substance, which was found to be caused by tiny, naturally occurring seasonal algae. It said the algae thrives in warm weather conditions, and is often mistaken for sewage or other pollution because of its oily appearance and its slight seaweed-like smell.
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Algae forms the bottom of the food chain and supports marine wildlife, like fish, birds and mammals like dolphins. Some marine algae can cause a slight irritation on your skin so experts say advise avoiding coming into direct contact with it.
Fiona Hourahine, Operations Manager, Natural Resources Wales said: “We have fantastic beaches in Wales and really great water quality with above 80% of bathing waters reaching the highest standards for cleanliness. At this time of year, we get some reports of possible pollution on the coast. We treat each one seriously and assess every report.
“Despite its unpleasant appearance, most of the reports we receive turn out to be this common algae. Warm weather provides the conditions for the algae to occur and it will disperse naturally over time.” People can report any sightings on the Natural Resources Wales incident hotline 0300 065 3000 or online Natural Resources Wales / Report an incident. To get stories like this sent to your inbox every single day, click here.
