West Sussex faces £2.7 million bill for container clean-up after coastal incidents
The incidents severely impacted areas especially around Selsey and Bognor Regis.
West Sussex County Council has incurred costs of £2.7 million following efforts to clean up debris left by 40 shipping containers lost overboard off the coastline, which resulted in considerable pollution along the shore.
The incidents, occurring in December and January, severely impacted areas especially around Selsey and Bognor Regis.
A multi-agency emergency response including district and borough teams and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency was launched to safeguard public safety, the environment, and local infrastructure.
Deborah Urquhart, cabinet member for environment and climate change, disclosed the cost of the operation and mentioned ongoing demobilisation efforts by Ambipar Response Ltd, contracted for the emergency cleanup.
Wayne Lewis, council's service director for environment and public protection, noted the upfront costs are not anticipated to heavily impact the council’s finances.
The council is meticulously recording all operational costs and actively engaging with the shipping companies’ insurers to reclaim recoverable expenses.