Alleged oil spill in Jamestown from Refuse Collection Vehicle

On Wednesday, 23 March 2022, members of the public proactively reported what they believed to be a fuel spill on the road in Jamestown between Porteous House and the Consulate Hotel. It was quickly ascertained that the substance was in fact leachate from the emptied wheelie bins between these locations, possibly as a result of cooking oil being disposed into bins, which subsequently leaked from the Refuse Collection Vehicle (RCV) hopper.

Upon noticing the spills on the road the RCV Team applied some disinfectant in order to change the foul leachate smell to something more pleasant. The ECO pine disinfectant carried in RCVs is environmentally friendly and does not pose a handling issue. It is bright yellow in colour and when applied to a surface can create a greasy sheen effect which could be mistaken for fuel. The Fire & Rescue Service attended followed by the Roads Section to apply some sand and then sweep up the pollution.

The public is thanked for their proactive reporting of the pollution incident, however for future incidents of pollution either on land (terrestrial environment) or at sea (marine environment), please call the Emergency Services Control Centre at Coleman House on tel: 22626 to enable a coordinated approach to response. The Control Centre then activates a ‘speed sheet’ which ensures the relevant agencies/specialists are called to respond.

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SHG

24 March 2022

St Helena Government Communications Hub

Telephone: 22470
Email: kimberley.peters@sainthelena.gov.sh