29/03/2005 - Environment
Agency Wales, working with Caerphilly County
Borough Council and the emergency services
saved the River Rhymney from pollution last
week. Around 80 firefighters, using 10 fire
appliances tackled a major fire which broke
out in the early hours of Tuesday morning
(15.03.05) at the premises of Budelpack, which
makes pharmaceutical packaging in Rhymney.
Agency officers attended the incident to give
advice on controlling firewater and cleaning
up polluting liquids such as shampoo. Surface
water drains were sealed off using sandbags,
and tankers were used to remove any potentially
polluting liquids. A small amount of firewater
did enter the river but Agency officers were
able to ensure that this was kept to a minimum.
The Agency officers monitored the impact
of the run-off on the river, which was minimal,
with no fish killed. A clean up operation
started immediately after the incident and
was completed during the weekend, with the
removal of contaminated silt from the drainage
channels.
Caitriona Murphy, an Environment Officer
with the Agency said: "The swift response
of the Agency, the Fire Service and other
public bodies has minimised the impact of
this incident on the river. By working together,
we have prevented major pollution of the River
Rhymney. "
Dai Roberts, from the Rhymney River Federation
of Angling Clubs praised the efforts of all
the emergency services involved, and singled
out the Agency for special thanks. He said:
"Please pass on my thanks and that of
the anglers of the River Rhymney to all the
people in the Agency that did such a good
job. A major pollution would take the river
years to fully recover, and we appreciate
that the swift, co-ordinated action, under
Agency advice avoided significant environmental
damage on this occasion."
