MARINA DEBRIS REACHES IRELAND
Polystyrene from storm damage found on coast near Dublin:
POLLUTION from the Holyhead marina disaster has spread as far as the Irish coast.
Polystyrene from pontoons destroyed by Storm Emma floated out to sea and came to land more than 70 miles away near Bray, County Wicklow.
The waste material was actually found by a group of sea cadets from Holyhead during a visit to twin town Greystones.
Lieutenant Susan Williams said: “It had to have come from Holyhead. I was a bit shocked and I apologised to the people of Greystones. We joked that it looks like we have given you part of our marina.
“Nobody was gunning for Holyhead but it was embarrassing.”
Storm Emma devastated the marina on March 2, with up to 80 boats smashed up in the gales.
Clean-up operations have been ongoing ever since, with more than 30 tonnes of polystyrene and 2,750 litres of oil recovered.
Eila Wilkinson, who with her partner Nigel Dennis lost everything when the boat they were living on, Carpe Diem, was sunk by the storm, said progress had been slow.
She said: “Nothing really happened for the first couple of days. It’s absolutely horrendous.”
But Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Planning and Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths, last night thanked the agencies responsible for the clean-up for their tireless work and “significant progress”.
Mrs Griffiths said the salvage operation to recover the vessels was also “progressing well”, with 28 boats recovered from shore and seabed: it is hoped the work will be completed within four weeks.
More than four tonnes of polystyrene has so far been collected from Anglesey beaches outside the Holyhead Harbour Authority area.
Wrexham AM Mrs Griffiths, who visited the marina days after the disaster, said: “There is no doubt that the damage to Holyhead marina has been disastrous for all the businesses and individuals affected. There has also been a significant environmental impact.
“From day one, agencies have been working tirelessly on the clean-up operation and I want to thank them for their hard work and efforts.
“I saw first-hand first hand the damage when I visited and I have since been having daily updates from all the agencies involved.
“I have been clear that I am happy to give consideration to possible financial support for public infrastructure repair and environmental damage clean-up, and my officials are in contact with Anglesey council on this.
“Thanks to the hard work of all agencies involved, significant progress has been made with a great deal of polystyrene and oil recovered.
“This work will continue and I hope this provides some reassurance to the community that every effort is being made to restore the marina and its local environment.”