River Roch contamination ‘caused no harm to wildlife’, says Environment Agency

The 'oil' floating on the surface of the river

The Environment Agency has confirmed that the contamination of the River Roch in March ‘caused no harm to wildlife.

An oily substance, believed to be diesel detergent, was spotted on 23 March, floating on the water’s surface between Number One Riverside and Hopwood Hall college, causing trout in the river to head for the surface as they struggled to breathe.

https://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/117428/oil-spill-contaminates-river-roch

An Environment Agency spokesperson said: “Following investigation, we were satisfied that the oil quickly dispersed causing minimal impact to the environment with no harm to fish or wildlife.

“All incidents of pollution are taken seriously by the Environment Agency and where appropriate, we will always take steps to prosecute those responsible.

"We urge anyone who spots incidents of pollution to call our 24-hour incident hotline on 0800 80 70 60.”