Cyanide-contaminated canal to be dredged

The water and silt in the Walsall Canal will be tested after dredging, to determine a timeline for when the waterway can be reopened

Dredging work will begin this week, to remove silt that is contaminated with cyanide at the bottom of a Walsall Canal.

It comes nearly eight months after a major incident was declared when up to 4,000 litres (879 gallons) of sodium cyanide and other chemicals leaked into a 12-mile (19km) stretch of the canal.

The spill was later traced back to firm Anochrome Ltd, and while much of the canal has reopened, a one mile stretch of the canal in the Pleck area remains shut.

The dredging work by the Canal & River Trust (CRT), which has spent £500,000 on the clean-up, will take several weeks, before the sediment and water is re-tested, with a view to lifting the closure.

In the aftermath of the spill, Anachrome Ltd - which is under investigation by the Environment Agency - accepted that "regrettably" the chemicals had entered the waterway.

The spillage, on 12 August 2024, caused thousands of fish to die

Bosses from the firm, which deals in surface coatings and sealings, "were working with all relevant authorities and agencies to minimise and contain the spill".

The CRT said the dredging was a "crucial step" in the canal's ecological recovery, and a major step towards reopening the water to boats.

Its costs have included dam installation, lab testing, materials, and staff time.

'Section ecologically devastated'

A crowdfunding campaign in the aftermath of the incident raised £25,000 for the charity.

"The awful spillage of cyanide into the community's wonderful and historic canal has left this section ecologically devastated, wiping out wildlife, including the microorganisms that form the foundation of the canal's ecosystem," said Henriette Breukelaar, regional director of the trust.

"We understand the closure has been frustrating for boaters and the local community, and we hope the dredging will move us closer to reopening the canal. We will continue to provide updates.

"Our priority remains the safety and restoration of this important waterway, and we appreciate everyone's patience while we carry out this critical work."