Brighton beach pollution is likely palm oil, officials say

Solid deposits of the oil appeared along Brighton beach on Tuesday. Witnesses described a strong smell of diesel by the seaside.

Brighton and Hove City Council issued a pollution warning and said the substance was likely “solidified vegetable and mineral oil” and advised dog owners to keep their pets away from deposits.

Red flags advising beachgoers not to swim have been placed on relevant areas of the beach.

Now Environment Agency officers have concluded the substance is probably palm oil washed out from a ship’s storage tank.

But an agency spokesman said the strong smell came from a different source – likely “historic contamination” from old gasworks in Shoreham Port.

“We have received a report from Brighton and Hove City Council of deposits washing up on beaches in Brighton and Hove as well as an oily smell,” the spokesman said.

“Environment Agency officers have visited Brighton’s bathing water and have concluded that that material is likely to be palm oil washed out from a ship’s storage tank.

Old gasworks in Shoreham Port are believed to be behind the diesel smell. Photo: David Ashdown

“The oily smell is likely to be historic hydrocarbon contamination from a former gasworks site at Shoreham Port.

“This occurs occasionally in rough sea conditions.”

A city council spokesman said the palm oil pollution is expected to disperse thanks to high winds expected tomorrow.

"Sea conditions are changing, with heavier sea and higher winds expected overnight," he said.

"This is expected to disperse and dilute these minor deposits."

"Sea conditions are changing, with heavier sea and higher winds expected overnight."

Shoreham Port officers are now tackling the pollution caused by the old gasworks site.

It closed in the early 1970s but has become a problem in recent years.

After an oil leak from the gasworks closed Brighton and Hove’s beaches for a day last September, the port’s climate change director Tony Parker said the problem occurs annually as it is too expensive to fix.

“It usually occurs once or twice each year since about five years ago, when we first had this problem,” he told The Argus last year.

Red flags advising beachgoers not to swim have been placed on relevant areas of the beach. Photo: Rose Jones

“We thoroughly investigated this for two years and found no threat to public health.

“We’ve installed half a dozen extractor units to suck up the oil. We’ve taken 1,600 litres out of the ground.

“We can hope that the level of oil will reduce to a point where it does not become a problem, but this could take five or six years.

“But we can’t guarantee that.

Mr Parker said the only other solution would be to dig up 30 acres of beach, costing hundreds of millions of pounds.

But even that drastic action would only remove up to 35 per cent of the oil.

Suspected pollution should be reported to 0800 807060.

Any suspected oil deposits should be reported to Brighton and Hove City Council on 01273 292716.

The city council recommends beachgoers only swim between red and yellow flags on the beach as lifeguards have up-to-date information on water quality.

Deposits of palm oil, which look very similar to white pebbles, can make dogs very ill if ingested, causing vomiting, diarrhoea and severe dehydration.

In extreme cases it has been known to cause pancreatitis.