19 October 2006

COASTAL EMERGENCY PLANNING SEMINAR

The Environment and Heritage Service (EHS) hosted a seminar on emergency planning for coastal pollution today at Crawfordsburn Country Park.

EHS presented its work within EROCIPS (Emergency Response to Coastal Oil, Chemical and Inert Pollution from Shipping) Project that has involved organisations from the rest of the UK as well as France, Spain and Portugal.

Dr Roy Ramsay, Director of Environmental Protection EHS, said, "The shoreline response to pollution from shipping accidents represents one of the greatest resource and management challenges likely to be faced by governments and other organizations involved in spatial planning for the sustainable use of coastal assets."

Representatives from Coastal District Councils, Port and Harbour Authorities, Pollution Response Companies and Statutory and Regulatory bodies, as well as organisations with an interest in the coastal or marine environment attended. This was an opportunity to note the work EHS has carried out to date under EROCIPS and to examine the subject of pollution arising from Shipping and how it can be best planned for and responded to.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

1. European States with a coastline on the Atlantic Ocean have been subject to severe pollution episodes resulting from shipping incidents, e.g. when Prestige sank in 2002, the coasts of France, Spain and Portugal were severely affected by oil contamination. Similarly, the oil tanker Sea Empress in 1996 caused extensive pollution of the sensitive Pembrokeshire coastline.

2. In view of this the EROCIPS Project was implemented for partners to add value to their capabilities to plan for and respond to major pollution incidents arising from shipping casualties.

3. More detail on EROCIPS at www.erocips.org

4. For further media enquiries please contact DOE Press Office on 028 9054 0003.

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