Emma Lewell MP: Government must mitigate the potential of Port of Tyne accident happening again
On July 19, there was a serious accident at the Port of Tyne. Two vessels collided and a crane collapsed on the quayside. One man was seriously hurt and others deeply affected.
On impact, shipping containers were ripped open. In less than five seconds, around 17 tonnes of plastic pellets, or ‘nurdles’, were released into the River Tyne. The accident was declared a crime scene and was cordoned off.
Investigations are ongoing into the accident. Once concluded, liability will be determined. The Port of Tyne and South Tyneside Council acted as soon as they could, sourcing specialist services to clean-up the river and the coast. Should more resource or financial assistance be needed, I will keep pressing the Government for that.
The Government, via the Environment Agency, was immediately activated and have remained fully involved.
When such incidents happen, The Local Resilience Forum (LRF), a multi-agency body made up of local councils, emergency and core services, such as Police, Fire and Rescue, Ambulance services, the Environment Agency and the NHS, convenes and is responsible for the planning and co-ordination of the response. I have asked that volunteers have a seat at the table in future LRF meetings.
The Government’s responsibility lies with legislation regarding the transport, storage and handling of these plastic pellets. I have already asked for this legislation to be reviewed and strengthened and I will pursue this once Parliament returns.
I have also requested continued monitoring by the Environment Agency, so that we can be assured that clean-up efforts are working and sufficient.
Like all of us, I am upset that this happened. The impact of this accident on the people involved and our environment is serious and long-term.
I want to assure you that long after the headlines move on and this accident is no longer at the forefront of people’s minds, I will still be thinking of those affected. I will still be working constructively with our Port, Council and volunteers. I will continue to ensure that they have all the resources they need, and I will work with the Government to mitigate the potential for anything like this happening again.