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Grand Union Canal: Cooking oil used in takeaways dumped in canal

BBC Oil pollution on canal at little venice near paddington basinBBC
The oil pollutant goes from Alperton up the Grand Union Canal in west London towards Little Venice

London's canals are normally a quiet haven in the centre of the capital, but now a stretch of the longest one, is covered in a thick yellow greasy scum.

Experts believe a large section of the Grand Union Canal has been deliberately polluted with dumped cooking oil.

It has been declared a category 3 incident by the Environment Agency, which means the clean up operation falls to the charity Canal and Rivers Trust.

It estimates that costs will mount up to £10,000 a day.

Ros Daniels, director, London and South East Region of the Canal and River Trust
Ros Daniels from the Canal and River Trust says the incident is "really distressing" and the charity has to "bear the brunt" of the clean up effort

The canal is the UK's longest one, linking London to Birmingham, passing through rolling countryside, industrial towns and peaceful villages.

Ros Daniels, director, London and South East region of the Canal and River Trust explained: "When there are serious incidents the Environment Agency can step in - we have been working with them to help identify the pollutant.

"But with lesser incidents we have to pick up the bill and as a charity this is reaching tens of thousands of pounds."

Contractors are currently using booms to gather the oil and then remove it.

The oil pollutant at Paddington Basin
Specialist contractors are working to contain and remove oil from the worst affected areas

The oil pollution incident stretches for miles along the Grand Union Canal in west London - but the charity warns it could be spreading.

It's believed the oil came from from a "dark kitchen" - used mainly to cook takeaways for delivery - and was dumped in the canal deliberately.

The Canal and River Trust's Alex Patterson added: "We are pretty clear this is discarded cooking oil and we believe the source is as far as six miles away in Alperton.

'Very serious'

"Not only are we clearing the areas in Paddington and Little Venice, we are also booming off what we believe to be the source."

Mr Patterson says the oil spill is "very serious" from the charity's perspective - adding it is very difficult to estimate how much oil is in the water.

"It gathers in different places, gathering around boats and at the Paddington Basin," he added. "But certainly, there are thousands of litres of cooking oil in the water."

Ms Daniels described the incident as "really distressing" adding it is up to the charity to "bear the brunt" of the clean up effort.

She added: "This is a wonderful resource in the heart of London and for someone to dump their cooking oil into it is really distressing for the wildlife and for everyone who enjoys it as a place to relax and enjoy, and those who live on it away."

"We are reassured the damage won't be long term but it isn't attractive."

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