09/03/2006 - Following
a second discovery yesterday (8 March 2006),
the Environment Agency and Tewkesbury Borough
Council are appealing for information from
the public about two separate incidents
where drums containing a currently unknown
chemical have been dumped near Gloucester.
At present tests are being carried out on
the liquid but it is thought that it is
diesel contaminated with hydraulic oil.
The first incident occurred on the 1 March
2006 where three drums were dumped in Sandhurst
Lane, near Gloucester. Overnight, they were
knocked over and the contents of two of
the barrels were spilt onto the ground and
road. The Environment Agency had to arrange
for the drums to be removed and the spillage
cleared by specialist contractors at a cost
of thousands of pounds.
Robert Green of the Environment Agency
said that "The spilt drums were likely
to have caused serious pollution and therefore
they had to be removed as an emergency.
This has been done at considerable cost."
In yesterday’s incident, four more drums
were dumped in a public right of way next
to Over Farm Market. The content of the
drums is once again unknown but thought
to be the same liquid as dumped on the 1
March 2006. As the incident occurred on
public land Tewkesbury Borough Council are
having to pay for the cost of emergency
disposal.
Speaking on behalf of Tewkesbury Borough
Council, Chris Pike said, "The Council
had to arrange for the removal of the drums
as they were dumped on public land. They
pose a significant risk to the environment
and to anyone who tampers with them and,
therefore, we had to foot the bill to remove
them urgently. The cost will be met by the
Council Tax Payer."
"We suspect that someone is servicing
plant equipment in the area and instead
of paying for the waste to be disposed of
properly is dumping the material in quiet
areas. This is an act of vandalism and anti-social
behaviour. It’s a crime against the environment"
The Environment Agency and Tewkesbury Borough
Council are appealing for anyone with information
about the dumping, or anyone who has recently
had machinery serviced where drums of waste
liquid were produced, to contact them urgently
to prevent further incidents. If anyone
has any information they can contact the
Environment Agency on 0800 807060 or by
emailing flytipping@tewkesburybc.gov.uk.
The Environment Agency and Tewkesbury Borough
Council are using hidden closed circuit
television cameras at known fly-tipping
hot spots in the County. Anyone found illegally
tipping waste will be prosecuted.
