News – Industry News
Oil Related Pollution Incidents Continue To Decline In Northern Ireland
7th March 2010
The Northern Ireland Environment Agency hasrecently published its Annual Water Pollution and Incidents andEnforcement Report for 2008, which reports a continued and welcomedecrease in the number of oil related pollution incidents in theprovince.
During 2008, a total of 202 oil related pollution incidents wererecorded by the Agency, accounting for 16.3% of all reported pollutionincidents in Northern Ireland. This represents a welcome decrease of0.34% upon the prior year and a reduction of 19.2% from 2001 when 250oil related incidents were recorded.
Of the total number of oil related incidents recorded during 2008,17.5% were classified as 'Medium Severity', 82.5% were recorded as 'LowSeverity' and no 'High Severity' incidents were reported.
During 2008, 3 oil spills reported in 2007 were referred to the Public Prosecution Service inNorthern Ireland with a recommendation for Prosecution. Finesand Costs for 2007 oil related pollution incidents amounted to£8,539.20.
Overall, recorded oil pollution incidents in Northern Ireland havedeclined by 26% since their peak in 2002, representing a net reductionof 70 incidents per annum. The decline coincides with a significantincrease in the installation of Bunded Fuel Oil Tanks in NorthernIreland.
A Bunded Tank consists of a 'tank within a tank'. The inner tank isthe primary fuel storage vessel, with the outer tank acting as afailsafe. In the event of a spill, spilt fuel will be contained in theouter tank and an environmental pollution incident averted. Updated Building Regulations introduced in2006, require the installation of Bunded Tanks at most new andreplacement domestic oil heating tank installations. Similar legislationexists within the agricultural sector in Northern Ireland and isproposed for the commercial, industrial and institutional sector too.
Overall, farms remained the biggest source of pollution in NorthernIreland, accounting for more than 1 in 4 pollution incidents, whilst thesingle biggest polluter was NorthernIreland Water Limited.
Oil Heating and Fuel Storage Industry News in association with OilFiredUp.com
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