It is now over 3 weeks since the Mulheim collided with rocks in Gamper Bay, close to Lands End.

In that time Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) have seen very little to encourage us that the salvage operation is going well. Much of the cargo of toxic car scrap has escaped into the marine environment. Very little has actually been salvaged and as much as 700 tonnes remain on board the vessel.

Salvagers not only have the remaining cargo to offload, but have also to move another wreck - that of salvage equipment that has collapsed in poor weather and has become a hazard in its own right to the salvage operation.

There has not yet been any official word of the degree of toxicity of the cargo as no sample results from the hold have yet been released. SAS have called for these to be made public as a matter of urgency.

We have also called on the Secretary of State for Transport to call a Public Inquiry into the salvage operation and are awaiting his response. It is apparent from this incident that the UK is not yet in a position to deal effectively with this type of incident. We should now be focusing our attention on stopping this kind of thing happening in the first place by excluding potentially dangerous vessels from sailing too close to shore.

Fortunately only small amounts of plastic have been washing up on the regions beaches and SAS have been encouraged by the actions of Penwith District Council and Cornwall County Council in maintaining a vigilant watch on beaches and employing daily beach clean up teams.

Richard Hardy, SAS Campaigns Assistant says: "Urgent lessons will have to be learnt from this incident if we are to fully safeguard our important coastline. A Public Inquiry would provide everyone with much needed answers and also provide solutions in order to protect our fragile coastline in the future".

For further information please contact Richard on Tel: 01872 553001/ 07817 401480.

The Story so far...

"Mulheim continues to break up"

"CARRY ON MULHEIM"

" CONCERN OVER DECISION TO LEAVE THE MULHEIM TO BREAK UP."

"A LUCKY ESCAPE FOR THE BEACHES"

"TOXIC CARGO FAR FROM SAFE SAY SURFERS AGAINST SEWAGE"

"MULHEIM UPDATE - DAY 17"

"3 WEEKS ON AND THE MULHEIM CONTINUES TO PUT ENVIRONMENT AT RISK."

"SAS express disappointment at decision to leave Mulheim on the rocks"

"COCKTAIL OF NASTIES!"

"MULHEIM PLASTIC FOUND ON NEWQUAY'S GOLDEN SANDS"

"MULHEIMS 'DIRTY' CARGO SPREADING FAR AND WIDE"

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