Nene gets polluted

[MarkTheSpark]

HERE You have to read the EA comments to believe them; they don't give a flying ****.

[Sean Meeghan]

Look like nobody wants to take the blame and nobody wants to point the finger!

[Lord Paul of Sheffield]

Originally Posted by Sean Meeghan

Look like nobody wants to take the blame and nobody wants to point the finger!

pass the buck time

[MarkTheSpark]

I've just cycled down to a little tributary of the Nene which runs in around Orton Staunch, where most of the dead fish were seen.

This little stream is usually brim-full of little roach, and hunted by a pair of kingfishers. Now, it it stone dead. I spotted a small, dead pike.

A pair of walkers I talked to said that, two days ago, this stream was full of foam.

So I spoke to the EA and was put through to a disinterested woman who seemed to think I wanted something; I tried hard to explain that this stream may solve their environmental crime, but she was getting bored and said she'd pass on my message. As an afterthought, she asked for my number.

I remain to be convinced that the EA has any interest at all in pursuing this pollution. Sadly, Nene Park Trust, which owns this stream, banned fishing on it some years ago, and so have no interest whatever in the fish. Nonetheless, they have a good conservation officer who I've written to. I hope he can stimulate some interest in the plight of this little river from the EA.

[MarkTheSpark]

[post deleted in light of latest information]

[Lord Paul of Sheffield]

well at least they got back to you Mark - let's see what the EA do

[MarkTheSpark]

I just called the EA to ask which chemicals, exactly, went into the river. The press officer told me they had a 'policy' of not releasing that information because 'there may be a prosecution pending.' I pointed out to her that as they had already named the company suspected, that was total nonsense.

I also told her that's not a policy but a decision, and as the EA had begun the week telling everyone there was a public health risk - even suspending the Wash shellfish fishery - I thought it a matter of public interest.

Then she got a bit sniffy about my qualifications as a journalist, and I had to disabuse her of the notion that she was dealing with an amateur. She wouldn't budge and claimed even she didn't know what the chemicals were.

So I'm now using FOI to get this information.... watch this space.

But you have to ask yourself why they're not saying what's gone into the Nene.

[S-Kippy]

How do you "spill" 5000 litres of anything accidentally ? I can understand spilling a cup or bucketful but not that much.

[Merv Harrison]

Originally Posted by S-Kippy

How do you "spill" 5000 litres of anything accidentally ? I can understand spilling a cup or bucketful but not that much.

I thought it was claimed originally, that it was the work of 'mindless vandals', who had deliberately poured 3 drums of chemicals into the river, after breaking locks off the gates of the 'company' involved.

---------- Post added at 19:29 ---------- Previous post was at 19:23 ----------

Originally Posted by S-Kippy

How do you "spill" 5000 litres of anything accidentally ? I can understand spilling a cup or bucketful but not that much.

I thought it was claimed originally, that it was the work of 'mindless vandals', who had deliberately poured 3 drums of chemicals into the river, after breaking locks off the gates of the 'company' involved.

From yesterday..........
BBC News - River Nene pollution 'caused by vandals', company says

---------- Post added at 19:30 ---------- Previous post was at 19:29 ----------

Originally Posted by S-Kippy

How do you "spill" 5000 litres of anything accidentally ? I can understand spilling a cup or bucketful but not that much.

From yesterday..........
BBC News - River Nene pollution 'caused by vandals', company says

I hope the police see through this........and find the "real" vandals.