§ Mr. MorleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many sea birds and other wild life have been found dead or injured off the Lancashire coast in the last month; what information he has to the causes; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. NorrisI have been asked to reply.
The pollution incident off the coast of Lancashire was reported to the Department of Transport's marine pollution control unit on 1 January. More than 700 sea birds have been affected, but there are no reports of other wildlife being harmed. Samples of the substance recovered from the coastline and samples from a cargo of lubricating oil additives discharged at Eastham near Liverpool on 30 December by the tanker Stolt Kestrel have been analysed by the Laboratory of the Government Chemist. They have concluded that the two samples originated from the same source.
These particular additives are category D substances—the least harmful category—under the relevant provisions of the International Maritime Organisation—"MARPOL 73/78". The owner of the Stolt Kestrel, the Stolt Nielsen Group, has said that after unloading its cargo the Stolt Kestrel washed its tanks more than 12 nautical miles offshore in the Irish sea in accordance with the International Maritime Organisation regulations for category D substances, which permit discharges of mixtures of not more than one part of substance to 10 parts of water. The permitted discharge of washings from tankers carrying noxious liquid substances in bulk is presently under discussion in the IMO with a view to making discharge provisions more stringent.
The marine pollution control unit is discussing the Laboratory of the Government Chemist report with the Stolt Nielsen Group which is considering its position. The group has already announced that it will no longer wash at sea tanks which have carried these additives.
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