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– The first analyzes indicate that it is paraffin wax, says Kjetil Aasebø, director of service of the Norwegian Coastal Administration.
The adult most likely came from a ship that washed its tanks after transporting paraffin oil. Then they threw the rinse water into the sea. According to Aasebø, this is completely legal, as long as it is done outside the territorial limits.
– This is a permitted download. Many ships do this as it is not illegal. Therefore, we cannot hold anyone responsible for this, he says.
He asked residents to stay away
The foam is yellowish and clearly visible. It has appeared along much of the coast in Østfold and in the island municipality of Færder. It has also been recorded at Tanum in Sweden.
On some beaches, the foam has solidified and appears as a fluffy, sticky mass.
Local authorities expressed initial concern about the contamination. Moss Township came out Thursday night with a warning on Facebook, asking people not to touch the foam until it has been tested.
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It can be dangerous for wildlife.
Kjetil Aasebø from the Norwegian Coastal Administration says it is not dangerous to come into contact with paraffin wax. But it can be dangerous for wildlife.
– This is a petroleum product, so it is not good to get it. This is especially true in hunting, such as seabirds and marine mammals. Since we haven’t finished testing yet, we don’t know exactly how toxic the substance is, he says.
It was a sample of the foam taken from Spjærkilen in Hvaler, which was analyzed by the Norwegian Defense Research Establishment. The answer came Thursday night.
– Additional analysis will be done today to verify the result, says Inger Marie Bjølseth, an environmental consultant in Moss municipality.
First registered with Moss
Work is now underway to map in more detail how extensive the download is. On Thursday, Bjølseth took a trip to the coastal areas of Feste, Fuglevik and Årefjorden in Moss.
– I have recorded many surcharges in all places, but nothing in Årefjordbukta. I’ll check on Jeløy today, he says.
According to her, the first foam was reported by a hiker in Moss Township on November 3.
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Ask the municipalities to clean
Due to the prevalence of the surcharge, as well as the fact that it is considered a serious incident, the Norwegian Coastal Administration is the authority responsible for the pollution. The service manager, Kjetil Aasebø, says they are now in dialogue with the affected municipalities to clean up the discharge.
– They have a duty to act. Municipalities can apply for reimbursement from the state to the Norwegian Coastal Administration for costs, he says.
The foam has hardened in places and turned into lumps.
Not as serious as the discharge of plastic pellets
It hasn’t been long since the Oslo Fjord was hit by another volley.
In February, millions of small plastic balls appeared in the fjord. They originated from the MV Trans Carrier, which lost parts of its cargo during a storm.
The cleaning job was extensive and demanding.
– We will never get to a point where the coast is 100 percent clean. These granules will be in the environment for several generations, Nicolay Moe, coordinator of the Oslo Fjord Outdoor Council, said this summer.
Aasebø from the Norwegian Coastal Administration says this spill won’t be that difficult to clean up.
– This is something completely different from plastic pellets. The foam floats and is easy to grip, plus it’s highly visible, he says.
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It will be illegal from next year
According to the duty officer, this is the first major spill of paraffin wax on Norwegian beaches. He believes the guilty ship was far off the Norwegian coast when the spill occurred.
– This is a known problem in countries like the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium and France. They experience this as a problem. Therefore, measures have now been taken to prohibit this type of discharge. There will be an international ban from the New Year, he says.
READ ALSO: Climate and Environment Minister Sveinung Rotevatn gained first-hand experience of how littered the coastline is along the Oslo Fjord.
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