Progress on recovering waste and shipping containers from West Sussex shoreline
Joint statement from West Sussex County Council, Arun District Council, and Chichester District Council
Teams working on the clean-up of the West Sussex shoreline continue to make progress in all weather conditions as we head towards Christmas week.
Containers from the cargo ship Baltic Klipper came ashore at locations between Selsey and Bognor Regis, with debris having been found over a larger distance.
Work began this week to remove the containers. To date six containers and partial containers have been recovered; 2 from Bognor Regis and 4 from Selsey. Containers will be taken away for breaking down and final disposal.
Teams from environment specialists Ambipar are moving along the beaches with vacuums to retrieve smaller pieces of foam, and continuing to recover metal, foam, organic material and other waste. So far more than 51 tonnes of organic waste, and almost 3 tonnes of general waste have been disposed of.
The work is being led and co-ordinated by West Sussex County Council together with Arun District Council and Chichester District Council.
It remains a complex and protracted operation involving many teams, agencies and personnel, all focused on the priorities of public safety and protecting the environment.
If you are planning on heading to the shoreline, please help us by keeping yourself and others safe and enjoy the coastline without putting yourself at risk:
- do not approach, climb on or move remaining containers; they may break apart or shift without warning and may contain sharp metal and plastics
- keep children and pets away from affected areas
- follow signage and instruction from on-site teams
Waste and debris from the containers is still being washed ashore with each tide. If you spot this, please report it as soon as possible by contacting Ambipar:
- call 01202653558
- email marine.response@ambipar.com