The effects of Sunday's oil spill near Naantali, south-west Finland, will not be as bad as feared, say experts.
The Coast Guard says that the oil floating in Naantali harbour is almost certainly from a ship. The oil has spread through the archipelago, with observations as far away as Ledsund in the Ã…land Islands. The largest concentrations are in Naantali harbour and the Airisto strait, a popular holiday area.
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Fortum, which has a power plant at Naantali port, says the oil is not from its facility. There is also a Neste Oil refinery nearby.
The spill is apparently light fuel oil, which spreads as a film over a large area on contact with water, but dissipates quickly. The biggest threat is to birdlife in the archipelago, says WWF Finland's Project Secretary Toni Jokinen. He is in charge of the environmental group's oil spill response efforts.
Article continues: http://www.yle.fi/uutiset/news/2009/03/limited_damage_seen_from_naantali_oil_spill_649630.html
