England’s Version of Exxon Valdez (in 1967)
Exxon Valdez was a terrible oil spill in Alaska (apparently caused by staff being overworked and so lack of sleep). Even today the after effects of the damage it did to the seas, marine creatures and birds is heart-breaking.
But let’s not be complacent that nothing similar could happen here. Back in 1967 England had its own serious oil spill in 1967, when a tanker struck Pollard’s Rock in Cornwall, spilling millions of gallons of oil, which affected the coast in France, Guernsey and Spain. Over 15,000 birds were killed.
The Vanish Stain Remover Fiasco in Cornwall
Recently, 4500 containers of Vanish stain remover washed up on a Cornish beach, after 18,000 fell off a container ship (so the rest are still at sea somewhere).
The local sea turned pink, and thankfully many volunteers helped to clean up the sea, to help wildlife. However others faced fines, as they drove to the beach to pick up free bottles of Vanish, and drove them home. We have a long way to go.
And today in 2025, environmentalists are asking local people to stop polluting the beaches, as it’s causing catastrophe in Cornwall. Recently another ship load of plastic nozzles (for nasal sprays and antibiotic ear/eye wash) has been floating in their thousand on Cornish beaches and along Helford River, believed to be from a ship container that has been lost at sea.
Beach clean volunteers on the Isles of Scilly even found parts of an American space rocket. What goes up must come down – and unfortunately often lands in the sea.
