The Environment Protection Authority (EPA) continues to lead the response to an oil spill incident on Lake Rosebery on Tasmania's west coast.
The spill followed significant rainfall on Sunday 12 January, flushing the contents of an historical piece of infrastructure into a creek draining into Henry Bay.
The EPA estimates the spill involves up to 5,000 litres of oil and approximately 30 kilometres of shoreline have been affected, with about 18 kilometres confirmed so far. The response will require multiple recovery and cleaning methods.
EPA oil spill response crews have deployed cleanup equipment onto and around the lake, including booms to contain the oil, absorbent pads and spill socks.
“It's not known exactly how much oil has spilled into the lake, but it is a substantial pollution event, and we know that the oil is in various stages of weathering on and around the lake," CEO and Director of the EPA, Wes Ford said.
An initial analysis of oil samples collected from across the spill site has confirmed the oil has a heavy hydrocarbon profile, believed to be various lubricant oils. A screen for pesticides was negative, and no Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) have been identified in any of the samples tested to date.
“We take any incident which harms the environment and disrupts operations very seriously, and the EPA is working closely with relevant authorities, including Hydro Tasmania, TasWater, and the West Coast Council to manage the response," said Mr Ford.
“Due to the free oil that remains on the lake there is still significant risk to the public through secondary oiling of watercraft, ingesting fish product and human contact through swimming.
“The cleanup equipment operating on the water also poses considerable risk to public safety through vessel interaction," said Mr Ford.
The lake has been declared a Prohibited Area by Marine and Safety Tasmania (MAST) until at least 12:00 am on Friday 31 January 2025, unless cancelled sooner, and includes all waters of Lake Rosebery.
A public drop-in forum will be held at the Tullah Hall on Thursday 23 January 2025 between 4 pm and 7pm. Local residents are encouraged to attend, where representatives from several agencies involved in the response will be available to answer questions and provide updates on the spill.
Published on:
21/01/2025