A stretch of canal in the West Midlands has been off-limits to boats for over four months following a significant chemical spill.
In August, about 4,000 litres of sodium cyanide and zinc cyanide leaked into a 12-mile portion of the Walsall Canal, resulting in the deaths of thousands of fish and disrupting the ecosystem.
Although the towpath along the canal reopened in early October, boating remains prohibited on the northern section, from Ocker Hill junction to the junction with the Wyrley and Essington Canal.
The spill was traced to Anochrome Ltd, a Walsall-based metal finishing company specialised in electroplating and coatings.
The firm stated in August that a “chemical incident” caused the toxic spill and released chemicals into the water.
In October, the Environment Agency reported that pollution levels in the canal had dropped to an “acceptable level,” but it advised the public to avoid contact with the water.
The Canal and River Trust stated that it is awaiting the findings of an ecological assessment of the water.
They explained that the boating restriction was necessary to prevent the disruption of silt on the canal bed, which could potentially release more pollutants into the water.
In August, it was estimated that about 90kg of dead fish were removed from the canal due to the spill.
