On December 20, 2011, a leak was discovered in an Arizona Chemical tank in the Longrör storage depot in Söderhamn, Sweden. Approximately 800 cubic meters of Crude Tall Oil (CTO) was spilled into the waters off the depot port, and some 50 cubic meters on the ground close to the tank.
The leak to the seawater was stopped with a reinforced sand rampart in just 40 minutes after it was discovered. The tank, which before the leak occurred contained 9000 cubic meters of CTO, was then emptied in a controlled way. The leak stopped at 3:00 am CET Thursday, December 22, 2011. The risk of any further leaks from the tank is now eliminated.
Focus is now on the clean-up process in the affected areas. The Coast Guard and the local emergency services, in conjunction with Arizona Chemical and the Söderhamn’s municipality, are working hard to take care of the crude tall oil and remediate the water and soil. Thursday morning, 130 cubic meters of CTO had been removed. “I am very impressed with the skills and dedication of all involved”, says Kees Verhaar, Arizona Chemical’s President and CEO. “I have seen some of the environmental effects the CTO spill has caused outside the Långrör port, and I am deeply concerned. We will do everything in our power to assist the Coast Guard and the Söderhamn Municipality in the clean-up process”
Swedish and international experts are now on site to help clean the water under the direction of the local emergency services and the Coast Guard.
Crude tall oil is produced in the manufacturing of paper pulp and is biodegradable.