Vegetable oil spill kills aquatic life in Olequa Creek
Emergency responders trying to stop more pollution
Kohr Harlan and KOIN 6 News Staff
Published: August 19, 2015
WINLOCK, Wash. (KOIN) —
A food warehouse fire in Winlock triggered a vegetable oil spill into Olequa Creek which killed all species and sizes of fish for at least 5 miles downstream, the Washington State Department of Ecology said.
The fire began Tuesday, but environmental experts are still trying to contain the hazardous cooking oil.
The pallets of burned bottled water and food at the Olympic Trading Corporation in Winlock are still smouldering. The building had recently taken delivery of either vegetable or canola oil. During the fire the oil spilled out of containers into storm drains leading to Olequa Creek.
Department of Ecology workers are busy trying to clean up a portion of the creek that bunched up behind a log jam, using spongers and other absorbent materials to get as much oil off the surface of the creek as possible.
Once the oil gets to the creek there is simply no easy way of getting it out. The creek feeds downstream into the Cowlitz River.
Ron Holcomb, a hazardous materials specialist organizing the clean up, said they’ve managed to contain most of the oil within about a half-mile downstream of where it went into the water.
But remains of small fish are showing up several miles down Olequa Creek.
“When oil hits the water, in a sense we’ve lost a lot of the battle because especially in a river it’s going to move. It moves fast, oil spreads out and we’re not right there when it happens so we’re playing a little catch up,” Holcomb said.
Chase Gallagher with the Department of Ecology said they “don’t believe the sheen has made it yet to the Cowlitz River, but we’re monitoring it.”
The EPA states, “Wildlife that becomes coated with animal fats or vegetable oils could die of hypothermia, dehydration and diarrhea, or starvation. Aquatic life may suffocate because of the depletion of oxygen caused by spilled animal fats and vegetable oils in water. ”
A study by Washington University in St. Louis found, “Although vegetable oils are not as acutely toxic as many petroleum products, uncontrolled releases can result in significant environmental damage.” There is no timeline for the cleanup and there are no assurances they will be able to get all the oil out.