Danish beaches cleaned after illegal paraffin oil dumping

A cleanup operation has begun on 18 kilometres of beach on the Danish island of Fanø after clumps of paraffin oil washed ashore during Easter, DR reports.

The pollution, which also affects beaches in nearby Varde Municipality, is believed to stem from an illegal tank-cleaning operation in the North Sea. Paraffin clumps, some the size of an adult fist, are scattered across a 28-kilometre stretch of coastline.

Ryan Metcalfe, network coordinator for the local governments’ international environmental organisation KIMO, confirmed the dumping violates international law, which has banned such discharges since January 2021.

“This is clearly an illegal act,” Metcalfe said. “Given the scale and size of these clumps, it cannot be old oil from when the practice was still legal.”

KIMO recorded four major paraffin pollution incidents in Denmark in 2025, making this year’s case the first since then. Metcalfe emphasised that ships should now be fully aware of the ban.

“This needs to stop,” he said. “Five years after the prohibition, there is no excuse.”

Fanø Municipality has hired Esbjerg Maskinstation to remove the yellow, sticky clumps using a tractor with a large sweeping blade. Operations began early Friday, with crews aiming to complete the cleanup by evening.

“We’re collecting all the paraffin we can find,” said Bjarne Nicolajsen, head of Fanø Municipality’s equipment depot. “It’s a big job, and it might take all day.”

While Denmark operates on a “polluter pays” principle, Metcalfe admitted tracing the responsible vessel is nearly impossible unless caught in the act—a scenario that has yet to occur in Danish waters.

“Realistically, we’ll never identify who did this,” he said.

Fanø’s municipal director, Søren Abildtrup, stressed the importance of clean beaches for both tourism and wildlife.

“Foreign objects like this disrupt the natural experience,” Abildtrup said. “Our beaches must stay clean—it’s vital for Fanø.”