Oil Spill Drifts to Estonia After Russian Facility Attack; Authorities Warn of Ecological Risk

(Central News Agency reporter Yu Yao-ju, Vilnius, 30th) The Estonian Environment Agency stated that fuel oil pollution from Russia's Ust-Luga region has recently been found on the northern coast. An oil processing facility in that area was attacked by a Ukrainian drone and caught fire last month. The subsequent spread of pollutants remains uncertain and poses a threat to birds and other wildlife.

Estonian Public Broadcasting (ERR) reported that the Estonian Environment Agency indicated that black lumps, confirmed to be heavy fuel oil, have been continuously found on multiple beaches in Lääne-Viru County over the past week. This type of substance is a viscous residue after petroleum distillation, making it difficult to remove from coasts and seawater.

There are also reports suggesting that these fuel oils may have come from a shadow fleet anchored in the Gulf of Finland. ERR reported that authorities have mobilized volunteers to multiple locations on the northern coast to assist in cleaning up the pollution.

Marit Mändmets, Chief Inspector of the Eastern Division of the Environment Agency, stated that similar fuel oil cleanup operations have also been conducted near Kurgolovo, Russia, suggesting that the current situation may be pollution caused by the war. She pointed out that the oil spill is currently relatively solid, but as temperatures rise, it may become more fluid, increasing its impact on birds and animals.

According to reports, because the movement of oil spills is difficult to predict due to ocean currents, wind direction, and waves, it is currently unknown whether more fuel oil will continue to drift to the Estonian coast. As of now, volunteers have helped clean up over 760 kilograms of pollutants, but most of the fuel oil will disperse in the sea and sink to the seabed.

Rivo Uiboupin, Head of the Department of Marine Systems at Tallinn University of Technology (TalTech), stated that the source of the pollution is located in the eastern part of the Gulf of Finland. In the coming days, under specific conditions, it may drift northeast, back towards Russia, but additional pollution may still appear on the western side of some Estonian peninsulas.

According to reports, there have been no reports of wildlife being harmed by the pollution so far. However, Mändmets pointed out that if fuel oil persists in the environment, it will have severe negative impacts on animals, especially when temperatures rise and the oil becomes more liquid, birds may become trapped. (Editor: Chang Chih-hsuan) 1150430

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