The river clean-up has finished on a North Bank Rd property where a truck and trailer carrying 27 tonnes of single superphosphate fertiliser rolled down an embankment into the Bellinger River.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Divers, cranes and tow trucks were used to locate and remove the one tonne bags of fertiliser, and in a statement to the Courier-Sun, the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) said it was “successful with minimal impact on the local environment and water quality.
“The bulk of the fertiliser was removed using the cranes and the ‘slurry’ was removed using sucker trucks. Any remaining material has been placed on land within a natural bund, ensuring it will not migrate offsite.
“EPA officers carried out water tests upstream and downstream of the crash site last night. The results show that the fertilisers’ impact on the water’s pH level was small and limited to within a 50m radius of the site.”
The EPA is not currently aware of any residual water pollution associated with the accident, however, the EPA strongly encourages any members of the community who have a concern about water pollution in the local area to contact the EPA’s 24 hour Environment Line immediately on 131-555 and make an official report.