Mothball contamination prompts cleanup on St. Pete Beach, Florida

Hundreds of small white objects were discovered on a stretch of St. Pete Beach, Florida, after residents noticed a strong, acrid odor. Officials from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) responded, with senior officer Brian Ferguson reporting that he personally recovered about 200 items and volunteers collected more than 1,000. Laboratory analysis identified the objects as mothballs—plastic‑wrapped tablets containing naphthalene or paradichlorobenzene—substances that slowly release toxic vapors when exposed to air.

The presence of the chemicals raised concerns for human health, pets and wildlife, particularly the endangered black oystercatcher, a protected shore‑bird that was nesting nearby. FWC officials warned that inhalation of the vapors could affect people and animals, and they began a multi‑hour cleanup to remove the contaminated items and prevent further exposure.