Changi Beach after oil spill

Nearly two weeks after the 300-tonne oil spill in the East Johor Strait, a check at low spring tide shows a fuller extent of the impact at Changi Beach near Carpark 1 and 2.

There were lots of people out on the beach. Families with kids playing in the sand and the water. Oil remains on stakes and bags on the beach that appear to be part of erosion control. Is the water really 'normal' already?


Lots of people with small children were playing in the water and the sand on the beach. Probably because NEA said a week ago that "test results have shown that the seawater quality is normal."

There was a small hole, probably dug out by a child playing on the beach. And the water in it didn't look too good.

There is a series of stakes and bags near Carpark 2 all the way to Carpark 4. They look like some effort at erosion control. This is what I saw here one day after the oil spill happened.

About a week later, the stakes and bags look very much the same, still heavily coated in oil.

The oil stains the stakes and bags are a particular level.

There are living snails covered in oil crawling on the stakes.

The stakes are failing at some parts of the shore. Now would probably be a good time to think about replacing these soon to improve erosion control and remove a source of oil?

There were several people fishing near the oiled stakes. Is it safe to consume such wild caught marine life?

Today, Chay Hoon and I also surveyed these areas for oil spill impact

• Changi Creek near Changi Point Ferry Terminal
• Changi Creek mangroves
• Changi seagrass meadows near Changi Point Ferry Terminal

Posts about the Johor Strait oil spill in Jan 2017

• How are Pasir Ris mangroves and seagrass meadows after the oil spill?
• Are we helping or harming when we 'clean' oiled mangroves?
• Oil spill at East Johor Strait: YOUR sightings
• Key happenings: Oil spill at East Johor Strait, Jan 2017
• Survey of oil spill spill impact on Ubin and mainland Singapore, 5 Jan 2017
• Oil spill near Pulau Ubin, 4 Jan 2017