Dozens of blue balls used at the Hartlepool nuclear power station for pipeline cleaning have been found again on the beaches of Redcar, Britain. Despite the operator's assurances of their safety, local residents are concerned about potential harm to nature and wildlife.
During a walk along the coast, a resident of Redcar in Britain collected 41 blue balls in just half an hour, which turned out to be used at the Hartlepool nuclear power station. These are the so-called Taprogge balls — special rubber elements designed for cleaning the cooling system pipes.
The station operator, EDF Energy, claims that these balls are made of biodegradable material and pose no threat to the environment.
However, local residents are not reassured by such explanations. According to them, similar finds have appeared on the coast before, and a large number of balls could pose a threat to marine animals that might mistake them for food.
In response to the criticism, EDF Energy stated that over the past year and a half, it has managed to significantly reduce the number of such emissions. The company also reported that the previous instance of ball discovery was recorded in April. However, the operator does not disclose data on how many of these elements enter the environment annually.
Residents of Redcar continue to post photos of new finds and believe that the problem requires more serious attention. In their opinion, items intended for cleaning equipment should not regularly end up on the seashore.
Although the nuclear power plant operator insists that the discovered balls are safe, regular finds on the beaches continue to raise questions among local residents. They demand more transparent information about the causes of such incidents and measures that should prevent technical materials from entering the environment.
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