East Coast and Changi beaches oil-free

East Coast and Changi beaches oil-free

THE East Coast and Changi beaches, and the sea off these beaches, are free of oil slicks, the authorities said yesterday.

And 98 per cent of the cleaning work at Chek Jawa, the nature area on Pulau Ubin, has been finished, the National Environment Agency (NEA) said.

It said: "Only small patches of oil film are visible on the water surface. Cleaning work is still continuing."

Some 2,500 tonnes of crude oil were spilt into the sea after an oil tanker and a bulk carrier collided off Singapore's south-eastern coast last Tuesday.

Patches of oil with debris sighted yesterday in the sea off SAF Yacht Club and Changi Naval Base were cleaned up, said the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore yesterday.

It will continue monitoring Singapore waters, as "the possibility of small isolated patches of oil with debris surfacing remains", it said.

Work is still under way to clear bags of oil-stained sand removed from both beaches, NEA said yesterday.

It has taken 60.4 tonnes of contaminated sand to the Semakau Offshore Landfill.

-News courtesy of Omy-