27 Mar POOLE HARBOUR COMMISSIONERS – PRESS RELEASE NO.3 – 27 MARCH 2023
Poole Harbour Commissioners (PHC) are leading the response to the oil spill incident that took place in Poole Harbour yesterday.
PHC have activated their emergency Oil Spill Response Plan and specialist oil spill response companies are assisting with the operation.
A Major Incident was declared and a strategic co-ordination group (SCG) was set-up to monitor, which includes Dorset Police, Dorset Council, Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole Council, NHS, Environment Agency and Natural England remain involved.
Since 7am, all teams have been out assessing the shoreline and harbour, undertaking Shoreline Cleanup and Assessment Technique (SCAT).
Over 100 people have been involved in these operations this morning.
Helicopters, drones, vessels and shore patrols are out gathering data and feeding it back to our Emergency Response Centre.
Ariel footage gathered today, suggests that there is a 60-70% reduction in oil sightings on the water.
Collection of oil from sightings has already commenced and is being recovered to a safe waste recovery site on the port estate.
As a precaution, the public should still avoid using the water for recreational purposes and continue to avoid bathing at beaches within Poole Harbour until further updates become available.
BCP Council is in the process of putting signage up on the beaches to inform bathers of this.
We ask that members of the public do not try and help with the clean-up at Poole Harbour, specialist trained teams are working hard on the ground.
It is unlikely that there will be any long term health effects from short exposures (eg days). Anyone who has come into contact with the spill should wash immediately with soap and water for ten minutes. If eyes have come into contact with the spill, they should be rinsed with water. Anyone who has been exposed to fuel oil and is feeling unwell please contact NHS 111 or seek medical attention from your GP.
All of these measures are keeping the situation stable. We will provide further information when we have it.
Jim Stewart, CEO Poole Harbour Commissioners