Black tar-like lumps washing up on Essex beaches, after tonnes of bitumen spilled into Thames

A major clean-up is underway along parts of the south Essex coastline after more than 15 tonnes of bitumen were accidentally released into the River Thames.

The pollution incident took place on Sunday 17 August at FM Conway’s bitumen storage facility at Imperial Wharf in Gravesend. The site, which sits directly on the river, is where the highways contractor imports bitumen by ship before storing and distributing it across the UK.

The terminal stores the road-building material before it is used in projects around the country. Bitumen is a black oil-based product used widely in road surfacing and construction.

The bitumen entered the Thames during the incident and has since been washed downstream, leaving sticky lumps along the shoreline of Essex.

The effects of the spill have been felt far beyond Gravesend, with black tar-like lumps reported along the Essex coast. Areas reportedly affected include Southend, Westcliff, Chalkwell, Thorpe Bay, Shoebury, Canvey Island and Clacton.

The Southend BeachCare Group confirmed their members had collected lots of the bitumen from a beach clean at Chalkwell Beach.

The Port of London Authority (PLA) has confirmed it is leading the clean-up operation. A spokesperson for the PLA said:
“On 17 August, FM Conway, a commercial operator working from Imperial Wharf in Gravesend accidently released bitumen – an oil product used in construction projects and to pave roads – into the River Thames.

“Since then, the Port of London Authority has been using its expertise to coordinate the clean-up operation working with partners across the region. So far, we have removed around 15 tonnes of bitumen from the River Thames. We will continue our efforts to search for, contain, and remove the spill.

“If people find what they suspect to be bitumen, please don’t try to remove it yourself but report it to your local council.

“Our expert contractors advise that it is not harmful to human health, but it requires proper handling and disposal to avoid further contamination. The Environment Agency will lead the investigation into the cause of this incident.”

Campaign group Southend Against Sewage has also been monitoring the situation, warning that while the substance may not be immediately hazardous to health, it poses a clear environmental threat and needs specialist removal to protect marine life and coastal habitats.

The Environment Agency is now investigating how the release happened at FM Conway’s site.