To marine animals, it can be. Molasses, the viscous by-product of refining sugarcane, grapes, or sugar beets into sugar, is responsible for a marine animal die-off that occurred in Hawaii’s Honolulu Harbor and Keehi Lagoon.
According to a news release from the state’s Department of Health (DOH), as much as 233,000 gallons of the sticky substance spilled into the harbor from a pipeline under one of the harbor’s piers during the loading of a container ship. DOH expects the plume of molasses water to dissipate in the ocean but it warns the public against (1) going into the water and (2) eating any dead fish found in the area.
Molasses is not directly harmful to the public. But DOH explains that it pollutes the water and causes fish and other marine animals to die. This could, in turn, increase the presence of predator species such as barracuda, eels, and sharks in the area. Molasses is also rich in nutrients which could cause an increase in harmful bacteria and marine algae growth.
Subsequent to the news release, DOH and marine biologists were cited in the local news as saying the damage to marine life was worse than originally expected. In fact, the deputy director of the agency’s Environmental Health Division stated that it could be the worst environmental damage to sea life that Hawaii has ever had to address.
