Fingal County Council has issued a warning for people to be vigilant of ‘Palm Oil Fatbergs’ when out walking on the coast.
The white substance can range in size from being as small as a golf ball to as big as a boulder and it can be particularly dangerous to dogs. Dog walkers should keep their animals away from the substance as it can make them very sick.
One of the ‘Palm Oil Fatbergs’ washed up at Hoare’s Rock, Skerries, last weekend.
A number of these congealed balls of fat were discovered on Sunday at Hoare’s Rock, Skerries. Lab tests have shown that the substance was Palm Oil.
It is believed that the Palm Oil was part of a consignment which came off a ship in the English Channel about 18 months ago and was washed ashore by the weekend’s stormy conditions.
Dog owners advised to avoid Skerries North Shore area whilst pollution report is investigated @Fingalcoco pic.twitter.com/mvfCvYZiIy
— Skerries Coast Guard (@SkerriesCG) February 12, 2017
The congealed substance has been turning up sporadically on beaches and coasts in England but this is the first time it has been recorded in Fingal.
A Fingal County Council spokesperson said: “We believe the discovery of this material in Skerries on Sunday is an isolated incident as we have not had any other sightings along the Fingal coastline. The material is a solid white substance which is known as a ‘Palm Oil Fatberg’ and they can range in size from being as small as a golf ball to as big as a boulder. We are asking the public to be vigilant as this substance can be harmful to dogs.”
