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Swift response to Welsh pollution incident
15th March 2004
Around 16,000 litres of diesel fuel entered the River Nant Heulyn near Bangor earlier today (15 March 2004), following a reported theft from the North West Fuels site at Bangor. It leaked from a tank abandoned on the verge of the A4087 Bangor – Caernarfon road. Officers from Environment Agency Wales attended the incident earlier this morning, and immediate steps were taken to prevent the diesel from continuing to enter the stream. Oil absorbent booms have been placed at various locations along the river.
The Agency has arranged for specialist contractors to come to the site, to contain and remove the contamination from the land adjoining the watercourse. The clean up operation started at 10.30 this morning and is ongoing. All the contaminated soil and liquid will be disposed of at a suitably licensed facility.
Phil Goodman, Agency Environment Officer said: “The swift response of the Agency, the Fire Service and other public bodies will have ensured that the impact of this contamination to the environment has been reduced.”
The Agency has been in contact with several different organisations, including the Countryside Council for Wales, DEFRA and the Food Standards Agency.
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) are on standby to assist if the situation requires. The MCA have also put the Agency in contact with Gulf Offshore, a specialist in oil pollution incidents in Liverpool, who have offered their assistance in recovering the oil from the watercourse, or marine environment.
Oil related materials account for more than 5,000 pollution incidents reported each year, and even small amounts can cause significant damage.
Anyone who sees pollution, illegal tipping of waste, poaching, fish in distress or danger to the natural environment can contact the Agency’s emergency hotline on 0800 80 70 60. The hotline operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, calls are free and will be treated in the strictest confidence.
Copyright 2004 The Environment Agency
www.environment-agency.gov.uk
IMPORTANT INFORMATION: The intellectual property in the above article is the property of The Environment Agency and is reproduced in accordance with The Environment Agency’s Notice and Rights of Obligation, a full copy of which may be viewed online at http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/other/help/196644/?version=1&lang=_e
