Mucilage, also known as “sea snot,” is an overgrowth of microscopic algae called phytoplankton and is caused by rising seawater temperatures due to global warming, stagnant water and pollution.

Turkish teams collected a total of 2,684 cubic meters (94,784 cubic feet) of mucilage from the Marmara Sea over the past seven days, said the environment and urbanization minister on June 15.

Sharing the latest updates on the efforts to clear out mucilage, Murat Kurum said on Twitter that ongoing operations are progressing well and that the collected mucilage has been sent for disposal.

The northwestern Yalova province, Istanbul, and the western province of Balıkesir are among the cities where most of the mucilage has been cleared, he said.