ICI faces minister over acid spillage

ICI has been taken to task by environment minister Michael Meacher over a spillage of acidic waste into marshlands surrounding the Tioxide plant on Teesside. However, the company insists that the Environment Agency's claims about the incident were `exaggerated'.

The incident occurred when hydrochloric acid leaked from a storm drain into the marshland at Greatham, near Seal Sands. The land is designated as a site of special scientific interest owing to the wide variety of wetland wildlife. The pH of the marshland dropped from its normal level of 5.5 to 6 down to 1, explains local environmental protection officer Steve Hardy commented. `It is one of the worst incidents I have attended,' he said. `Our only option is to dilute with seawater. It was as acidic as you can get.'

However, ICI maintains that the extent of the damage was not as severe as the EA indicated. In a statement following the meeting with Meacher, the company said that `while ICI and Tioxide regret the incident, concern was expressed about the exaggerated claims made by the Environment Agency in their description of the environmental damage caused by the spillage.' The water quality was quickly returned to normal by remediation procedures, and no adverse affects had been observed on the marsh wildlife, it adds.

* ICI has confirmed the appointment of Brendan O'Neill as chief executive. He will succeed Charles Miller Smith on 22 April. Miller Smith will become chairman, while the present incumbent, Sir Ronnie Hampel, will retire.

O'Neill joined ICI as chief operating officer in 1998 from Guinness Worldwide Brewing. He holds a chemistry PhD, but until last year had never worked in the chemical industry.