Over 71,000kg of oil-soaked sand scooped up from 3 Sentosa beaches

A week after an allision on Jun. 14 between a Netherlands-flagged dredger and a stationary Singapore-flagged bunker tanker, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu shared that more time is still needed for cleanup.

In a Facebook update on Jun. 20, Fu said over 71,000 kg of oil-soaked sand has been cleared from the three beaches at Sentosa.

The oil-soaked sand is then bagged up for further treatment and disposal.

To prevent the oil spill from spreading inwards, a total length of 3,400m of booms have also been deployed.

Complex process

Cleaning the beaches "involves a lot of hard work", Fu said, as the oil also needs to be cleaned off the rock bunds and breakwaters at the beach.

This, Fu explained, is a complex process that requires "specialised cleaning", as the rock bunds are more inaccessible, and have uneven surfaces.

Oil that has slipped into the boulder crevices also needs to be thoroughly flushed out, and oil within the lagoon needs to be removed.

While most of East Coast Park, Labrador Nature Reserve and Tanah Merah have been cleaned up, the tides may sweep in remnants of oil deposits, and further cleanup efforts might be required, Fu noted.

"We therefore seek the public’s patience and understanding that more time is needed for the clean-up work along the beachfronts," she said.

"Much work remains to be done"

Before the beaches can be reopened, the government needs to ensure that water quality is within safe levels.

Thus far, Singapore's water supply and sea-based fish farms have remained unaffected.

Air quality at the affected areas of East Coast Park, Labrador Nature Reserve and Sentosa, also remain within safe levels.

The National Environment Agency (NEA) will continue to monitor the air quality at the affected areas daily to ensure the safety of the public and personnel involved in the clean-up operations.

Information on air quality at affected beaches is also published and updated daily on NEA’s website.

Fu also thanked all workers and service providers who have been involved in cleanup efforts.

"Good progress has been made. Much work remains to be done too. MSE, together with NEA, PUB, and SFA, will continue to press on alongside other agencies and in partnership with community volunteers to monitor and manage the impact of the oil spill."