Environment Secretary Visits Clean-Up Operation At Nantycaws

Lesley Griffiths, Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs visited Nantycaws today to see for herself the ongoing work to minimise the impacts of the recent oil spill. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Cabinet Secretary met with Emyr Roberts, Chief Executive of Natural Resources Wales and thanked NRW staff at the incident centre in Cross Hands for their work in co-ordinating the response, before meeting senior representatives and contractors of operator, Valero. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Speaking in Nantycaws, the Cabinet Secretary said: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“This is a significant pollution incident in which a reported 140,000 litres of kerosene has been released. I was pleased to learn that two thirds of this has now been successfully removed from the nearby stream and that the pipeline is switched off. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Monitoring is continuing and I can reassure the public that this is not showing any risks to health or public water supply. NRW’s swift action have undoubtedly minimised the impact of the spill on the local community and surrounding wildlife. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“I will continue to receive regular updates on the situation.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

In order to repair the fractured pipeline the A48 will need to be closed in both directions from the evening of 14 October to early Monday 17 October 2016. All traffic will be diverted along the official diversion route through Llangunnor. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​