NEPA takes action on oil contamination traced to February warehouse fire in Westmoreland

The National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) says notices have been served on Batteries and Accessories Warehouse Limited in Savanna-La-Mar, Westmoreland, to address an oil contamination that has impacted Great George Street and surrounding areas.

Regency Petroleum is the owner of the warehouse, which is used to store items such as engine oil, gear oil, lubricants, and batteries.

In February, there was a massive fire at the warehouse, and the current contamination issue is linked to that event.

In a media release on Wednesday, NEPA explained that it appears oil from the warehouse at the time of the fire escaped from the building and made its way into nearby drains.

The environmental enforcement agency says the presence of the oil was not immediately detected and only became evident when the area began experiencing consistent rainfall, which caused the drains to overflow and the oil to seep onto the surface.

NEPA says that upon learning of the oil contamination, it served the business operator with a site warning notice and subsequently with an enforcement notice requiring steps to be taken to address the matter.

It says it is currently finalising its investigation and is working with the business operator and residents of the affected areas to resolve the challenges.

In the meantime, NEPA says it has referred the matter to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

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