SINGAPORE: Over 71,000kg of oil-soaked sand has been scooped up at the three Sentosa beaches since Saturday (June 15), a day after 400 tonnes of fuel were leaked into the sea from a damaged bunker vessel at Pasir Panjang Terminal.
In a Facebook post on Thursday (June 20), Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu said she had visited Sentosa to observe the ongoing cleanup process, which “involves a lot of hard work”.
She said the immediate focus is to stop the oil spill from spreading inwards, adding that over 71,000kg of oil-soaked sand has since been scooped up at Palawan, Siloso and Tanjong beaches, whose shorelines were blackened after the oil spill.
“In addition, we also need to clean the oil off rock bunds and breakwaters near beaches,” Fu said, adding that the rock bunds are not as accessible as beach shorelines and their surfaces are uneven.
“Oil that has slipped into the boulder crevices also needs to be thoroughly flushed out, and oil within the lagoon needs to be removed,” she said.
“We therefore seek the public’s patience and understanding that more time is needed for the cleanup work along the beachfronts. Before reopening, we also need to ensure that water quality is within safe levels,” the minister said.
The oil spill happened on June 14 when the Netherlands-flagged dredging boat Vox Maxima hit the stationary Singapore-flagged bunker vessel Marine Honour.
Besides Sentosa’s beaches, the shoreline along Labrador Nature Reserve, East Coast Park and Tanah Merah were also affected, although Fu said the National Environment Agency has cleaned up most of these areas.
“However, as the tides may continue to sweep in remnants of oil deposits, further cleanup efforts will likely be required,” she said.
Fu also thanked all staff and service providers who helped with the cleanup, adding that they were given safety boots and gloves, as well as rest breaks from the hot sun. - The Straits Times/ANN
