The River Yare in Norfolk has been polluted from an unknown source for the past 2 weeks, the Environment Agency has stated.

The substance was spotted in the River Yare at Colney, near Norwich, on 22 December, and has been "intermittently" leaking from a drain near Chancellors Drive since.

The Environment Agency has said it has been taking measures to contain the pollution while it tried to find the source.

People are being advised to keep themselves and pets out of the river.

A spokeswoman for the EA said: "A team of specialists were on site yesterday to remove some of the oil caught around the drain and to contain as much of the pollution as possible until the source can be found."

Oil has been spotted on the river past the University of East Anglia Broad, and downstream as far as Lakenham in Norwich.

The EA said there was no evidence the UEA Broad itself had been affected and that it was awaiting test results to determine what type of oil was leaking into the river.

A chemical leak at an Amazon depot has led to several people being treated for facial injuries.

The incident happened early on the 4th December at the company's distribution site on the Hoo Peninsula.

It is believed the incident involved a HGV trailer which had arrived on the site but did not enter the warehouse and stayed outside in the yard.

Emergency services including the police, ambulance and fire were called and checked over several people.

Ambulance spokesman Rich Airey said: "Crews attended the scene and checked over a number of people for irritation to their eyes, nose and mouths. No one required further hospital treatment. Two patients had previously self-presented at hospital."

Hazardous materials officers and an incident support unit from the fire service supported specialist paramedics from the South East Coast Ambulance service HART (Hazardous Area Response Team) unit.

A fire service spokesman said: "Crews carried out chemical tests at the scene after a number of people reported irritation to their eyes, nose and mouths. We are awaiting the test results, however there is no risk to the public.”

The two Amazon workers who went to hospital have since returned home.

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The Refill Kit contains:
2 General Purpose Socks (3m x 8cm)
15 x General Purpose Pads (Double Weight)
1 x Disposal Bag & Tie
1 x Instruction Sheet

Designed for portability and ease of use this gives you the facility of a quick response in the event of a spill.

They can be easily stored in the boot of a vehicle and can be carried by hand. Placed in multiple locations around the site, factory, warehouse, plant, garage, farm or chemical site, they can give optimal initial response should a spill, or leak occur.

They are easy to hang on a wall, or the rear of a fork-lift. Keep one in high-risk areas such as fuelling points and drum storage areas.

This is a General Purpose kit and will absorb oil, coolants, solvents and water based fluids.
Kit Sorbency: 35Litres

Pack of 6 x 500ml  Trigger spray
 

Thousands of creatures on the seafloor of Russia’s Far East coast were found dead as a result of a toxic oil spill. The region is known for its vibrant marine life, where whales and seals are often seen, and is a popular spot for surfers. The initial cause for concern was when a group of surfers began experiencing eye problems and symptoms of food poisoning. Russia’s Investigative Committee said dead marine life had been washing up on the Kamchatka’s shores since September 1st, however, this did not seem to worry the Russian Minister of Environment, Dmitry Koblykin, as he initially downplayed the incident. He stated that there was no scale of disaster, and the conversation was promptly put to rest. It was only when scientists had started exploring the seabed that the scale of devastation became clear. 95% of bottom-dwelling organisms were dead. This begs the question: when, if ever, will environmental concerns be taken seriously? It seems that any sort of call-to-action only occurs after the damage has already been done.

Koblykin vowed that whoever was responsible for this would be punished, after a month of denying that anything was wrong. It is important for leaders to take responsibility right away and set an example for other nations as well.

This was not the first time a massive oil spill occurred as President Putin declared a state of environmental emergency back in May 2020 when 21,000 tons of diesel oil was leaked into rivers flowing into the Arctic.

Massive oil spills in general are common occurrences. Right now, a vessel filled with 1.3 million barrels of crude oil is stranded 24 miles in the Gulf of Paria and has sparked fear due to pictures circulating online of its unstable condition. The pictures demonstrate that the vessel is tilted and taking on water – a disaster waiting to happen. If a spill does occur, it would damage the entire Gulf of Paria and could potentially spread out into the Caribbean Sea to the north. The effects from this spill could linger for decades, long after the clean-up process. There is a lot of information surrounding this oil spill, with some reports stating that the vessel is in stable condition while others stating the vessel is indeed deteriorating from lack of maintenance. Either way, it is essential to take extra precautions when it comes to a vessel this size because firmly believing there is no cause for alarm is what leads to disaster.

With the Kamchatka oil spill, if it wasn’t for independent researchers who thought it was necessary to examine Russia’s Far East coast, the spill could have continued to wreak havoc. Marine life such as seals, octopi, starfish, and sea urchins were found dead. These researchers listened to the 20 surfers who had noticed an unusual colour and smell coming from the waters. Listening to the locals proved to be valuable as they were the ones who had first-hand knowledge of their region and were early witnesses to the abnormalities. It just goes to show how important it is to involve and engage the surfing and fishing communities in environmental conservation.

If the cause of the leak was found to be from a passing ship, this would be the latest string of pollutions caused by poorly written UN laws that are in place to protect shipowners rather than address environmental concerns of nations. These laws have been the source of many shipping disasters and oil spills over the past decade. Pushing for excess amounts of profit should not be the reason why our oceans are dying. While it is important to protect ship owners, why must environmental concerns be disregarded? We should be pushing for sustainability and begin implementing the triple bottom line approach that focuses on environmental and social concerns as much as it does on profits. Laws, policies, programs need to be re-evaluated with the approach mentioned above so we can keep our oceans safe and create a healthier world in which to live.

https://theowp.org/the-oil-spill-dilemma/

Size: 120 x 60 x 15cm
Max Capacity: 65 Litres less displacement

This container tray is an excellent solution when needing to store cans, small drums, and containers in the garage, workshop and warehouse.

Its extra length is ideal for use on racking and worktops.

Grids (removable) keep containers clear of contamination.

Tough 100% recycled plastic construction.

Corrosion-free.

Can be stacked for easy storage.

The drip grid in the base of the tray is removable for easy cleaning and enables the cans, or containers, to sit up off the base of the tray so that they do not sit in a spilt or dripped liquids.

A GROUP of swans and an Aylesbury duck who were rescued from an oil spillage have now been released back into the wild.

The birds were recovered by a team of five RSPCA animal welfare officers who found them covered with oil in the canal near Victoria Street at Clayton-le-Moors on October 5.

Oil can be extremely dangerous to water birds, leaving them vulnerable to dying from hypothermia by reducing the natural water proofing in their feathers, but fortunately the officers were able to take the flock they had found to Stapeley Grange Wildlife Centre in Nantwich to be cleaned.

There are delays on the M5 this morning (October 29) following an oil spill.

One lane of the motorway was closed southbound after a vehicle broke down between J8 M50 to J9 A46 (Tewkesbury).

However, due to an oil spill this closure will have to remain in place.

Highways England tweeted: #M5 Southbound J8 #Strensham towards J9 #Tewkesbury.

"Due to an oil spill from the vehicle involved, the lane 3 closure will remain in place until the spillage has been treated and deemed safe to reopen."

Traffic cam pictures show long queues of traffic on the motorway.

Size: 137cm x 200cm
Approx Internal Size: 124cm X 193cm

Size: 110 x 55 x 4cm
Approx Internal Dimensions: 105 x 50 x4cm
Capacity: 25Litres

Made from recycled polypropylene

Size: 40cm x 50cm
Pack qty: 200
Pack sorbency: 85L

Incredibly versatile Bonded Single Weight oil only absorbent mat which can be used inside or outdoors, in the wet or dry.

SERPRO Oil Only Pads are designed to float upon water and exclusively absorb the oil

These particular absorbent pads are ideal for the absorbtion of hydrocarbon leaks. They are an ideal solution for remote employees in the field in cases where operating close to any water and the potential for oil, or fuel, pollution is significant. Since they simply just soak up the hydrocarbon liquid they are often put into use as oil spill skimmers in wetlands or streams.

SERPRO Oil Only products are recommended when you need to blanket a larger leak either indoor or out in the open and when soaking up only the oil, and not the water, is absolutely necessary.