Rescue workers have officially announced the completion of operations to clean the surface of Lake Kyrylivske in Kyiv. Petroleum products spilled into the lake following an attack on 2 July, when Russia struck a petrol station.
This was reported by the State Emergency Service.
A large-scale operation
As a result of enemy shelling, fuel and lubricants entered Lake Kyrylivske, which forms part of the Opechen network. The harmful spill spread across a water surface area of 20,600 m².
Source: SESU Ukraine
The elimination of this local environmental crisis took 16 days and involved around 60 rescuers from various regions of Ukraine. Using specialized containment booms, they "contained" the spill and employed 20 pieces of equipment for the cleanup.
“Skimmer systems, permanent floating containment booms, and sorbent containment booms were installed on the waterbody,” SESU clarified.
This enabled the removal of 317 cubic meters of pollutants from the lake.
The special barriers have not yet been removed from the waterbody. There remain 550 m of permanent floating containment booms and 230 m of sorbent containment booms in place.
EcoPolitic previously reported that the petroleum products harmed local wildlife. Both animal rights activists and ordinary city residents helped rescue waterfowl and mammals.
People were warned about the danger and asked not to enter the water or spend time on the shore of the polluted lake.
To monitor pollution levels, water samples were collected from both the lake itself and the Syrets River.
