A fuel spill at the Astron Energy oil refinery in Milnerton has reached the sensitive waterways of the Table Bay Nature Reserve, posing a significant threat to wildlife, with several oiled birds having already died.
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The company’s lack of preparedness relating to the impact on wildlife has been criticised after the City’s biodiversity management branch was made aware of the spill.
Last week, various City response personnel were activated, while Astron Energy appointed a spill response contractor who was tasked with spill mitigation and clean-up efforts.
According to Deputy Mayor and Spatial Planning and Environment Mayco Member Eddie Andrews, a substantial amount of fuel (diesel) had entered the storm water infrastructure feeding the Theo Marais Canal, which flows into the Table Bay Nature Reserve’s waterways, by the time the spill source was identified.
‘The teams will continue to monitor the site this week… Any loss of biodiversity due to an incident like this is unacceptable,’ he said.
Speaking to IOL, head of the environmental portfolio for Milnerton Central Residents Association, Caroline Marx, and a member of the Astron community advisory panel, said they were not informed of the spill despite frequently requesting to be notified of any incident at the plant that could impact the community.
‘A local resident noticed a petrochemical smell, visible pollution, and a contaminated bird and followed up with the City’s nature conservation officer.’
‘Astron’s response (was) that they had forgotten to send the notification to the panel members, (which) is not acceptable given that there have been several previous spillages,’ Marx said.
Clinical vet at Sanccob, David Roberts, told the publication that two common moorhens and two red-knobbed coots died after being brought to Sanccob. ‘Two of the four birds admitted to Sanccob were severely compromised. They were suffering and were immediately euthanised; the other two died at Sanccob.’
According to Roberts, it was difficult to save birds affected by diesel, and the damage caused to the ecosystem and the effects on other wildlife have not yet been fully evaluated but are likely to be far greater than the deaths of the four birds reported to date.
Astron Energy confirmed that a diesel spill was detected at a switch station on Astron Energy’s pipeline near the corner of Koeberg and Tanzanite roads in Milnerton. The initial incident had been contained, and the immediate area had been cleaned up.
‘Our response team immediately put containment measures in place, including barriers and absorption booms to deal with any residual impact of the spill,’ Astron Energy spokesperson Suzanne Pullinger said.
‘Clean-up operations of the affected areas have been conducted and we continue to monitor the situation. Our first priority is the health, safety and well-being of all our employees, contractors, broader refinery community, and the environment.’
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