Barrel of sludge found during beach cleanup too heavy to move

The Island Nature Trust made an unexpected discovery on a recent cleanup of beaches on islands off eastern P.E.I. — a barrel full of an unknown liquid.

The islands off of Murray Harbour are protected wildlife areas.

The large blue barrel sits just above the high tide mark on the shore of Gordon's Island, just off Beach Point — and now it needs to be hauled away. 

It's been there since at least Oct. 13, when volunteers with Island Nature Trust found it.

Too heavy to lift by hand

Island Nature Trust executive director Megan Harris said the 200-litre barrel is about three-quarters full of what appears to be some sort of petroleum liquid — perhaps hydraulic fluid and mixed with water.

The nature group is anxious to get the barrel ashore and dispose of the liquid, but Harris said it was too heavy to lift by hand.

The Island Nature Trust owns the island. Harris said it provides important breeding habitat for great blue herons.

Barrel is secure and not leaking

She said the group has asked a local harbour master to help with getting the barrel off the island, but so far, high winds and the timing of tides have not co-operated.

In the meantime, she said the barrel is secure and is not leaking.

The hope is to get the barrel taken care of as soon as conditions allow.

"If something of this nature washed up in provincial property our department would contact a private hazardous waste disposal company to deal with it properly," said Greg Wilson, P.E.I.'s manager of environmental land management, in an email statement

"From the information we are aware of, the barrel washed up on private property. If no obvious owner or source of the waste can be found, then the landowner would be responsible for its proper disposal."

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