Saimaa oil spill cleanup could take weeks

Cleanup after about 200 litres of engine lubricating oil leaked into Lake Saimaa could take weeks, Yle reports. The spill occurred on Tuesday in Haukivesi, near Rantasalmi in South Savo, when oil leaked from a tank on a cargo vessel.

Emergency services initially estimated that as much as 800 litres could have entered the water. The shipping company later said most of the oil remained on the vessel’s deck and estimated that about 200 litres reached the lake.

On Wednesday, emergency services began inspecting the area’s shores to determine where the oil had spread and how much was present. The cleanup could either be completed quickly if little oil is found along the shores, or take weeks if the oil has reached several islands.

“It is difficult to say, because this has never been done in Finland’s inland waters before,” said Antti Peltonen, fire chief at the South Savo rescue department.

Emergency services have worked through the night and used drones equipped with thermal cameras. Oil has also been removed from the lake using absorbent booms.

Shoreline cleanup will be handled by the municipality of Rantasalmi in cooperation with the rescue department. Volunteers from the Finnish Voluntary Rescue Service and WWF may also assist if needed.

Peltonen said the work would be slow and labour-intensive, with each oil-covered stone needing to be washed by hand before being returned.

Authorities currently believe the spill was caused by human error. Police are investigating the cause of the accident.

The use of lake water has been prohibited in the affected area. The area is considered sensitive and is close to Linnansaari National Park.

Residents criticise lack of information

Residents said they had received little information about the spill. Tuula Sario, who lives in the village of Voinsalmi in Rantasalmi, heard about it through the media on Tuesday evening.

She said she contacted the municipality’s environmental services on Wednesday morning but was told they had no information about the incident.

“No one could have known what scale of disaster this was. It is a question of safety that people do not eat or drink contaminated water,” Sario said.

The city of Savonlinna announced on Wednesday afternoon that lake water must not be used in the affected area.

Kenneth Kumenius-Liljerot, who lives in Pikonniemi, learned about the spill through social media. He went out by boat with a neighbour to inspect nearby waters and found a thin film of oil on the surface.

He described the spill as significant but not enormous, stressing that the area is environmentally sensitive.