XN000022-1979-04-04 — Page 5

4

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 4, 1979

NEW MARINE POLLUTION CONTROL EQUIPMENT PROVES

HIGHLY EFFECTIVE IN FIGHTING OIL SLICK

*****

THE MARINE DEPARTMENT'S NEW POLLUTION CONTROL EQUIPMENT HAS PROVEN TO BE VERY EFFECTIVE, A MARINE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT DURING THE RAIN SQUALL ON MONDAY MORNING THEY WERE FACED WITH QUITE A +SLICKY PROBLEM+ WHEN 150 TONS OF HEAVY OIL SLUDGE ESCAPED FROM A SINKING BARGE THE CHEUNG SHENG NO.1.

*IT COULD HAVE POLLUTED 500,000 SQUARE FEET OF SEA BETWEEN GREEN ISLAND AND KAU YI CHAU, HE POINTED OUT.

HOWEVER, ALL THIS WAS PREVENTED.

ON HEARING THAT THE OIL BARGE WAS SINKING POLLUTION CONTROL STAFF SPED TO THE SCENE AND MANAGED TO CHEMICALLY DISPERSE MOST OF THE OIL.

OPERATION CLEAN-UP HAD TO BE HALTED AT NIGHTFALL,

OVERNIGHT, DUE TO STRONG NORTHEAST WINDS AND TIDE, THE REMAINING SLICK DRIFTED INTO LUK CHAU WAN (ST. GEORGE'S BAY) AND POLLUTED THE SHORELINE.

BECAUSE THE BAY WAS SHALLOW, DEEP DRAUGHTED CRAFT COULD NOT BE USED.

+50,

FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE IT WAS COMMISSIONED LATE LAST YEAR, THE MARINE DEPARTMENT'S PURPOSE-BUILT, SHALLOW-DRAUGHT, INSHORE POLLUTION CONTROL VESSEL WAS DEPLOYED.

+USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH AN OIL SKIMMER WHICH IS PART OF ITS EQUIPMENT, THIS HIGH-SPEED CRAFT MECHANICALLY RECOVERED 220 GALLONS OF HEAVY OIL, THEREBY SUCCESSFULLY AND RAPIDLY PREVENTING FURTHER HEAVY POLLUTION OF THE SHORELINE,+ THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

THERE IS

THE OPERATION IS CONTINUING AND IS EXPECTED TO TAKE ANOTHER FEW DAYS TO COMPLETE AND THE SPOKESMAN STRESSED THAT NOW NO FURTHER MAJOR THREAT TO THE ENVIRONMENT.+

15