MEMBERS OF the public have been advised not to touch objects including firelogs that have begun washing up on the south coast from containers that fell overboard from a cargo vessel last week.
One of the containers held sodium bromate which is used in dyeing and is a hazardous material.
A Department of Transport spokeswoman has urged people not to collect any of this material from coastal areas of Waterford and east Cork.
The spokeswoman said if the firelogs contaminated with the chemical were used there was a risk they would explode. There is also a risk of skin irritation for people who might try to use them.
Last Tuesday the ship lost seven containers in stormy seas off the southeast coast.
The 9,500-tonne coaster BG Dublinwas on the last leg of its scheduled weekly service from Rotterdam to Dublin and on to Cork when the containers went overboard some 15 miles south of Tramore in Co Waterford.
One of the containers held the sodium bromate, a crystalline powder which dissolves on contact with water. It was packed in sealed drums. The remaining six containers carried bird food, fire logs, medical equipment and plastics. Each of the containers is about 45 feet in size, six of them are blue and one is red.
The Coast Guard has appealed to the public to stay clear of any debris from the missing containers and to contact it or the Garda on 999 or 112.