{"id":40521,"date":"2024-08-14T12:09:37","date_gmt":"2024-08-14T12:09:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kede.com.br\/news\/urgent-tests-underway-after-walsall-canal-cyanide-spill\/"},"modified":"2024-08-14T12:09:38","modified_gmt":"2024-08-14T12:09:38","slug":"urgent-tests-underway-after-walsall-canal-cyanide-spill","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kede.com.br\/news\/urgent-tests-underway-after-walsall-canal-cyanide-spill\/","title":{"rendered":"Urgent tests underway after Walsall canal cyanide spill"},"content":{"rendered":"


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\"BBCBBC<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

A major incident was declared on Tuesday as the leaked chemical was confirmed to be sodium cyanide<\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n
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Public health bosses say they hope to start reducing restrictions \u201cvery quickly\u201d on a 12-mile stretch of canals in the West Midlands following a toxic chemical spillage.<\/p>\n

Sodium cyanide, which can cause seizures, vomiting and loss of consciousness, was confirmed on Tuesday as the chemical spilled into the waterway in Walsall.<\/p>\n

People have been urged not to go near a long section of the canal network and towpaths from the middle of the borough to Birmingham and including connected waterways in Wednesbury, Tipton and West Bromwich.<\/p>\n

The authority’s interim director of public health, Nadia Inglis, said they were \u201cdoing things cautiously but as quickly as we can”. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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There were a number of dead fish in the canal<\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n
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“We\u2019re testing all points of that affected area currently and we\u2019ll be reviewing those results as they come through,” Ms Inglis added.<\/p>\n

“We\u2019ll be removing those restrictions and hopefully reducing the size of that potentially affected area where we are confident there isn\u2019t a risk to health.”<\/p>\n

The exclusion zone markers run from the Walsall lock flight to lock flights at Rushall\/Ryders Green in the borough and Perry Barr in Birmingham.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\"WalsallWalsall Council<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

People were still being urged to avoid a 12-mile stretch of the canal network on Wednesday morning following the spill<\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n
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Sodium cyanide dissolves in water and can have serious adverse health effects if people or pets come into direct contact with it, the council advised.<\/p>\n

Anyone exposed to the water who felt unwell should seek medical advice through the NHS 111 service or phone 999 in an emergency, a spokesperson for the authority added.<\/p>\n

People living on boats on the canal in the affected area were being made aware of the spill, the Canal and River Trust said.<\/p>\n

Ms Inglis added: \u201cOur primary aim has been to keep the public safe and to protect their health and wellbeing.<\/p>\n

“Given the nature of the substance, we\u2019re taking a cautious approach to protecting our public until we know it\u2019s safe to open those canal towpaths again.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Walsall Council leader Garry Perry said on Tuesday it was too early to speculate on how the cyanide got into the canal<\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n

What is sodium cyanide?<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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