Canal reopening date announced following 'devastating' chemical spill

AROUND 4,000 LITRES OF HIGHLY TOXIC ZINC CYANIDE SOLUTION TO ENTER THE CANAL IN PLECK 14:35, 02 Jun 2025 A stretch of canal is set to reopen to boats almost a year after a devastating

chemical spill. Local wildlife was drastically affected when up to 4,000 litres of highly toxic zinc cyanide solution entered the water in Pleck, Walsall. To contain the pollution, a 12-mile

stretch of the canal was initially closed to the public and boaters. In the months since, more than 500 tonnes of silt has since been removed from the canal and safely disposed of. READ

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continues below And now Canal & River Trust has shared that the area will reopen on Thursday, June 5. At the time of the spill in August last year, multiple teams worked tirelessly to

limit the spread of the spill and protect the canal's ecosystem. They included: The Canal & River Trust, Environment Agency, Walsall and Sandwell Councils, UK Health and Safety

Agency, emergency services, Severn Trent Water and contractors working on behalf of the polluter. A spokesperson for Canal & River Trust said: "Thanks to their swift action, the

canal closure was quickly reduced to a one mile stretch from Pleck to Walsall Top Lock at Birchills and the towpath was reopened several weeks later when chemical levels were at a

consistently safe level. "The canal has been dredged to remove cyanide-contaminated silt, further reducing risks to wildlife and aiding ecological recovery. "Approximately 526

tonnes of silt have been removed and safely disposed [of]." Henriette Breukelaar, director for the West Midlands at Canal & River Trust, added: “After many months of closure, I am

delighted to reopen the Walsall Canal to our boating community. "It has taken significant time and resources to remove the toxins, and I thank boaters for their patience during the

cleanup. “This incident has had a lasting impact on the canal's ecology, but our team acted swiftly to contain the pollution and prevent further damage to wildlife. "The cleanup

has so far cost our charity £100,000s of funds that would have been used to repair our canals. "We will seek to reclaim this money from the polluting company and invest it in caring for

the canals in the West Midlands. “We will continue to closely monitor the canal to ensure no further harm comes to wildlife. The extraordinary scale and nature of this pollution incident

means we can’t be certain how long it will take for fish and other wildlife to fully recover. "We will therefore continue to closely monitor the canal to make sure we remain on track to

see this beautiful and much-loved stretch of canal make a full recovery for boaters and local communities to fully enjoy.” Cllr Adrian Andrew, Associate Leader at Walsall Council, said: “A

lot of work has gone into getting us to the position to reopen the canal. “Amid a devastating chemical spill, the partners who have been involved throughout stepped up to keep the public

safe and to minimise the long-term impacts. Article continues below “Despite the situation, this reopening is something to be celebrated. I know our canals are important to many people, and

it is a great relief they can now be enjoyed once more.”