Robert Lloyd - a Sir Gar Blog of random news . . . and some Clecs!

A multi-agency recovery coordination group including Carmarthenshire County Council, Natural Resources Wales, Public Health Wales and Valero, believes that the majority of the kerosene spilled due to pipeline damage at Nantycaws, Carmarthen, has now been recovered. An estimated 139,500 cubic metres of kerosene product has been recovered by the company employed by Valero to clear the contamination from land and waterways. The section of old damaged pipe, now replaced, has been sealed at both ends, and initial results from bore hole monitoring shows only low level residual contamination identified in and around the Nant Pibwr, which is being captured with temporary river booms. Heavy rainfall at the beginning of last week flushed through some remaining product, enabling further recovery. Additional measures were put in place to deal with ‘remobilised’ contamination entering the Nant Pibwr due to the intense rainfall. The recovery coordination group will continue to monitor, cleanse and...

A significant amount of the Kerosene oil which escaped from the damaged pipeline at the A48 in Nantycaws, Carmarthen, has been recovered. Valero, the company responsible for the pipeline works has confirmed approximately 120,000 litres of the estimated 140,000 litres of oil lost has been recovered to date. Works to repair the pipeline and isolate the leak last weekend were successful; with the westbound carriageway of the A48 opening earlier than planned. Commissioning of the new pipeline will commence at the end of this week and the re-opening of the A48 eastbound carriageway is planned to take place on November 1. Carmarthenshire County Council has now taken over as lead agency as part of the recovery operation, working closely with Natural Resources Wales, Public Health Wales, Dyfed-Powys Police and other partners. NRW staff are continuing to monitor the site and investigate the impact of the incident on the local environment. Tests confirm no public water drinking supplies have b...

Some 313 tonnes of used blue bags were recycled last year – that’s the same weight as 73 African elephants! Blue bags are taken to the Materials Recycling Facility in Nantycaws, Carmarthen, to be sorted. But it is not only the paper, cardboard, plastic and cans that are sent on to processing plants to be made into new products, the blue bags themselves are too so they can be used again. Executive Board Member for the Environment Cllr Hazel Evans said: “A lot of people want to know what happens to their blue bag after all the items in it are sorted for recycling. “It is good to know that the bags are also sent to be recycled and it is important that residents are reassured that as much as possible is recycled.” Figures show that approximately 60% of rubbish in Carmarthenshire is being recycled, but the Welsh Government has set a target of 70% to achieve by 2024/25. Cllr Evans added: “I would like to thank householders for all their efforts; it is important we keep up the good work and...

A £40,000 traffic management scheme designed by Carmarthenshire Council transport team for Nantycaws has been unanimously approved by Llangunnor Community Council. County traffic manager John McEvoy presented feedback from a public exhibition on proposed traffic management measures for Nantycaws. He told members following the exhibition the proposals were changed to include a 30mph speed limit through the village and a 40mph buffer speed limit on the east bound approach to the village. The Community Council did not support the placement of a vertical plateau in the centre of the village one of the outcomes demanded by residents at an exhibition held on September 12. Because the community council voted against this, the platform will not be part of the scheme. The proposed closure to through traffic of the overtaking lane, the provision of street lighting in the middle of the village, and the creation of two right turn refuge lanes were given full endorsement from the Community Council....