'Oil spill is almost gone': Grace Fu says cleanup progressing faster than expected

The cleanup of the oil spill which stained Singapore's shores last month is moving along faster than expected.

Less than a month ago, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu said that the second phase would take around three months.

But in a Facebook post on Tuesday (July 16), Fu said the oil spill is "almost gone".

"Clean-up of the oil off rock bunds and on the beach is progressing faster than we expected," she added. "Siloso Beach and Area B of East Coast Park are now in the final phase of clean-up operations."

The oil spill occurred at Pasir Panjang Terminal on June 14 due to a collision between a dredging boat and a bunker vessel, which saw 400 tonnes of fuel pour into the sea. This affected shorelines around Singapore such as Sentosa, Labrador Nature Reserve, the Southern Islands and East Coast Park, among other areas.

At a press conference on June 24, Fu stated: "We expect to take around three months to complete this next phase of cleaning, after which we will progressively reopen affected public areas. For less affected areas, we hope to open earlier."

Volunteers needed to clean beaches

The third and final phase of the cleanup operation involves the removal of tar balls, Fu said.

In her Facebook post, which was accompanied by a picture of a tar ball, the minister called for volunteers "to help our cleaning staff to comb and remove tar balls from the beaches", adding that it is a "labour-intensive process".

Tar balls are remnant oil deposits which have hardened and mixed with sand.

Fu said that the authorities will be deploying volunteers to "literally sieve through" affected beaches, describing the operation as the "biggest beach clean-up exercise in Singapore".

"The sooner we can clear these tar balls, the sooner we can enjoy our beautiful beaches," she wrote. "Personally, I am quite excited to do this because I have always liked to play with sand."

National Development Minister Desmond Lee said in Parliament on July 2 that more than 700 volunteers have been deployed in cleanup efforts.

Some have joined NParks to patrol East Coast Park and West Coast Park to advise members of the public to stay away from affected beaches, while volunteers from the Friends of Marine Park have also been carrying out surveys on St John's Island and Lazarus Island to track the impact on biodiversity there.

Over 1,500 people have signed up to help with oil spill management efforts, Lee said, adding that another 2,000 people have registered their interest in being kept updated on ongoing efforts and future volunteering opportunities.

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chingshijie@asiaone.com