The Isle of Man Government has issued a surface drain warning after a recent pollution incident at a housing estate pond.
Manx Wild Bird Aid said it had been treating three ducks after they were found covered in a substance thought to be cooking oil at the Governor’s Hill housing estate in Douglas.
The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture’s ‘Environmental Protection Unit’ believes it resulted from cooking oil being poured into a nearby surface drain that feeds into the pond.
However, it cannot determine whether this was an isolated spill or as a result of long-term improper disposal practices.
Individuals and businesses are now being urged not to dispose of oil or chemicals into surface water drains following the incident.
DEFA Minister Clare Barber said: ‘We all have a responsibility to dispose of pollutants in a safe and responsible manner to protect wildlife and ensure an environment we can all be proud of.
‘The department urges the public not to pour oils or chemicals into surface drains and asks commercial businesses to ensure waste cooking oil is safely collected and stored, with collection services available through the Animal Waste Processing Plant.’
At the time of the incident, a spokesperson from the Manx Bird Aid charity said: ‘If looks could kill, we’d be out of volunteers thanks to the mallard we’ve called Donald, admitted from Governors Hill on December 30.
‘We share his pain though as Donald’s New Year has been spent with us trying to wash the cooking type oil off his feathers. There are more spa days on the horizon for Donald. Then we have to get him waterproof again.’
It took the charity ‘a number of hours’ to get the ducks clean again, and they stated that this is ‘reminder that a small act can have big consequences for our wildlife and environment’.
In a fresh update, the charity said: ‘It could take some time until the matter is completely resolved, so please don’t throw food into the water.
‘The ducks can still be fed out of the water, on the area of grass above the top pond.’