Kerosene Spill Recovery Phase

A multi-agency recovery coordination group including Carmarthenshire County Council, Natural Resources Wales, Public Health Wales and Valero, believes that the majority of the kerosene spilled due to pipeline damage at Nantycaws, Carmarthen, has now been recovered. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

An estimated 139,500 cubic metres of kerosene product has been recovered by the company employed by Valero to clear the contamination from land and waterways. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The section of old damaged pipe, now replaced, has been sealed at both ends, and initial results from bore hole monitoring shows only low level residual contamination identified in and around the Nant Pibwr, which is being captured with temporary river booms. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Heavy rainfall at the beginning of last week flushed through some remaining product, enabling further recovery. Additional measures were put in place to deal with ‘remobilised’ contamination entering the Nant Pibwr due to the intense rainfall. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The recovery coordination group will continue to monitor, cleanse and carry out reinstatement work. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The continued monitoring includes thorough testing of private water supplies. The most recent tests have found no evidence of contamination. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Carmarthenshire County Council’s environmental health team has assessed air quality monitoring and no further impact is expected. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Chair of the recovery group, Carmarthenshire County Council’s Director of Environment, Ruth Mullen, said: “This is encouraging news and shows that the multi-agency response to this incident is working well. We will continue to closely monitor the area and will work together to bring this incident to a conclusion with as little impact to the environment, residents and businesses as possible.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Representatives of the recovery coordination group have offered to attend a meeting of Llangunnor Community Council to answer any questions from councillors and members of the public. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Natural Resources Wales is also holding meetings with representatives from the local fishing community. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​