An oil spill from Russian tankers of this magnitude could be one of the biggest man-made disasters in the Black Sea, Greenpeace has warned.
After the accident of two Russian tankers in the Kerch Strait, 1,700 tons of sand and fuel were collected on the coast in the Krasnodar Territory. According to the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations, more than 19 kilometers of the coast have been cleaned, more than 1,700 tons of sand and soil contaminated with oil products have been collected, reports Krym.Realii.
In Anapa, additional booms were placed to protect the water area from further spreading of oil products. Meanwhile, Rospotrebnadzor said that the level of air pollution in the Temryuk region does not exceed the standards. However, local residents complain of a strong smell of oil, which causes pain in the eyes, nausea and difficulty breathing.
Rescuers and volunteers are working in protective suits and masks, as fuel oil reappears in cleared areas and is washed ashore by waves.
According to the president of the public organization National Association of Nature Users, Boris Kokotov, with the onset of heat, fuel oil that settles at the bottom may rise to the surface. It is fraught with allergic reactions, rashes, as well as gastrointestinal tract problems for vacationers.
The Governor of the Krasnodar Territory of the Russian Federation, Veniamin Kondratyev, did not comment on the situation after December 17, when he assured that “there is no threat to the 2025 holiday season.”
The accident occurred on December 15 due to a storm in the Kerch Strait. The two tankers were carrying about eight thousand tons of fuel. Greenpeace warns that a spill of this magnitude could be one of the largest man-made disasters in the Black Sea. Criminal charges have been initiated over the incident.
In this regard, environmentalists warn that the sand on the beaches of Anapa will remain toxic for at least 10 years due to a large fuel oil spill, reports the Russian Telegram channel Mash.
The shore was littered with fuel sacks. Volunteers are waiting for equipment to transport contaminated waste to special landfills. However, the black substance penetrates the polyethylene, causing the collected fuel oil to collect again.
It was noted that the local authorities did not have enough transportation to clean the beaches, remove the garbage and transport the injured animals, as well as metal containers for storing fuel oil.
In addition, experts note that sand mixed with petroleum products can only be disposed of in specialized landfills, ideally in licensed oil refineries. Before disposal, contaminated sand must be thoroughly cleaned with gasoline.
Let’s remember that after the disaster, fuel oil from tankers washed up on the coast of Krasnodar Territory – the beaches turned black from fuel oil.
Let’s add that the third and fourth tankers of the Volgoneft series, full of fuel oil, sent a distress signal to the Black Sea. There was a cargo leak on the ship.
Source: korrespondent
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