Environment Agency dealing with oil spills

The Environment Agency dealt with 2 oil spills affecting British waterways:

ENVIRONMENT AGENCY PUT UP BARRIER TO PROTECT DORSET WILDLIFE SITE FROM OIL SPILL

The Environment Agency has been called to the Eblake industrial estate in Verwood near Bournemouth to control a diesel oil leak after a telephone tip off on the Agency's pollution hotline. 1,500 litres of heating diesel has escaped into the industrial estate's ditched drainage system and Agency environment protection officers have deployed oil catching booms to prevent contamination of the Moors River Site of Special Scientific Interest.

An investigation is underway to determine the precise cause of the spill. Early indications have turned suspicions toward vandalism as the oil escaped from a broken glass gauge on a fuel storage tank. The Agency has set the booms and oil absorbant material at the end of Bessemer Close where the surface water drain meets a drainage ditch. Agency officers have alerted the Moors Valley Country Park and other downstream users to the spill. "A quick response has enabled us to contain the majority of the escaped oil," said Julian Wardlaw for the Environment Agency. "We're working flat out to protect one of Dorset's key nature sites and are pleased so far with the progress we're making."

ENVIRONMENT AGENCY TACKLE RIVER AVON OIL SPILL

The Environment Agency had to deal with a heating oil spill on the Bristol Avon River in Wiltshire. Environment protection officers returned to the site after setting three oil catching booms across the river and have stemmed the downstream spread of the red diesel.

A film of oil had formed on the river but early investigations show there have been no wildlife casualties. Up to 3000 litres of central heating oil had leaked from a storage tank at Lackham College near Lacock. "Thankfully, the effect on wildlife so far has been minimal but this is a significant spill and we will be considering legal action." said Barry Gray for the Environment Agency. The operation involved soaking up diesel that had been contained by the booms using oil absorbent pads.