Relax, it’s natural. Petroleum is a normal part of the planet.
A mysterious asphalt-like substance washed up on Monterey Peninsula beaches Monday night, local firefighters reported, and the Coast Guard believes it may be the same material that popped up on San Francisco Bay Area beaches earlier in the day.
Earlier on Monday, beaches in Pacifica and at Moss Beach’s Fitzgerald Marine Reserve were closed when many tar-like balls, ranging from the size of a quarter to the width of a hubcap, washed up along the coast, according to San Mateo County officials.
The source of the material, first thought to be remnants of the Cosco Busan oil spill in San Francisco Bay, became more of a mystery as the day wore on and the Coast Guard received reports of thick, coagulated “patties” washing up on beaches farther south.