Dog owners are being alerted to potential dangers on Egremont beach in Wirral, where lumps of suspected palm oil have been discovered. Reports to the Wirral Coastguard Rescue Team led to officers attending the beach and locating several pieces of the waxy substance.
Palm oil, commonly used in the food industry, can become toxic when dumped at sea. The coastguard issued a warning, explaining that dogs may be attracted to the substance's smell and could ingest it, potentially leading to a fatal reaction. Some larger pieces of the suspected palm oil have been collected and removed from the beach for disposal by Wirral Council.
Authorities are advising the public to remain vigilant. "Please take extra care when walking dogs on the beach over the next couple of days," a coastguard spokesperson stated. "Further pieces may still be present or could wash ashore with subsequent tides." The public is urged to keep dogs and children away from any unusual waxy or oily substances and to avoid handling them without protection.
This incident echoes a previous warning in January 2020, when a dog died after consuming palm oil on Formby beach in Sefton, highlighting the persistent risk posed by such discoveries on coastlines.