Oil Dump Investigation at Crabbs Peninsula, Saturday Aug. 21st, 2010
On Monday August 16th, 2010, an oil dump/spill into the ocean was discovered by air, coming from Crabbs Peninsula. It was thoroughly documented in a series of photographs from the spill's destination back to its origin. The entire area is protected by NEMMA under the jurisdiction of the Antigua Fisheries Ministry.
The business where the dump/spill seemed to originate was contacted as was multiple media outlets. Coverage was mixed at best with one media outlet taking a week to pick up the story and the other media outlet not posting any of the incriminating photos. Both articles had limited information and even more limited investigation, however, both drew conclusions which have been questioned by the public.
Since even the Coast Guard were unable to spot the source or where the oil ended up, Eli Fuller and robby breadner of the Environmental Awareness Group, investigated the dumping/spilling of the hazardous waste on Saturday August 21st. This set of images was taken by photographer robby breadner. Also, be sure to read the very thorough blog written by Eli Fuller entitled: Antigua's 366th beach is an ignored government toxic waste dump.
Notes on the images:
1-15 show where the oil ended up on the east coast shore, south of Fitches Creek. One can see an ugly foam comprised of what appears to be petro-chemicals. Also within these photos shows the heavy black oil mixed in with fresh seaweed that had washed ashore. The seaweed had an oil smell. When I squeezed it, the oil coated my hand which would not come off without a rag. Rinsing it in the ocean could not wash it off.
16-17 shows the mouth of the creek where the original dump spill came from. The results of repeated dumping or spillage , is illustrated by the dead and dying mangroves.
18- are the photos taken on the south coast of Crabb's Peninsula. These shots are the most incriminating and are unrelated to APC, but rather illustrate that APUA has been dumping so much oil into the soil, that it is seeping out of the ground and into the ocean. Satellite images from space show a perpetual seeping of oil into a slick which has been washing westward, for years.