Mystery surrounds the emergence of over 27,000 plastic bottles of the pink detergent, believed to be called “Vanish.” However, National Trust volunteers began work immediately to remove the containers, saying they were a risk to the environment.
Most of the bottles are still sealed, although witnesses say many have leaked, according to the BBC. National Trust members believe a container of the bottles must have gone overboard off a ship during rough seas. Other coves, including Gunwalloe, Polurrian, Church Cove and Marazion have also been affected.
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency says: “While it is a fact that the MV Blue Ocean lost a container containing bottles of ‘Vanish’, there is no currently available evidence that the bottles washed up on the Cornish coast are from this container; all evidence is currently circumstantial.”
The MV Blue Ocean is said to have lost a container near Land’s End sometime in May 2015. The BBC contacted Vanish, but has so far, yet to hear from the company.
EcoWatch is reporting The National Trust, the owners of the beach say the Mailonline has reported the bright pink bottles have been “strewn across the bubbly sand as far as the eye can see,” with more reported to be coming ashore in the coming days.
The Cornwall Council issued a statement, warning the public to stay away from the beaches: “In the meantime the public are advised to keep children and dogs at a safe distance from the bottles should any more be washed up. No attempt should be made to recover the bottles.”
Surfers Against Sewage in a blog post said the container ship DS Blue Ocean, lost several containers overboard in May last year. One of the containers contained 27 tons of Vanish detergent. They have been laying on the sea floor since that time, only to be agitated and redistributed because of the recent winter storms.