Oil spill taints the Cult Burn

The Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) was alerted after a call from a concerned member of the public living near Cult Burn, which flows through Lenzie.

The burn, a tributary of the Bothlin Burn, flows into the Luggie Water, the River Kelvin and the Clyde.

On Tuesday, April 5, a containment boom had been put in place as a temporary barrier to prevent the oil spill from spreading further.

A resident whose home backs on to the the burn, said: “The pollution of the burn is appalling.

“It is quite extensive - the oil is very thick and the smell is overpowering.

“It’s devastating. there is a lot of wildlife around the burn, people walk their dogs in the area and children also play there.”

David Shenton, a long-standing volunteer with the Scottish Wildlife Trust and a member of local environmental group Luggiewatch, also expressed concern at the effect on local wildlife.

He said: “It is important to maintain the purity of the water.

“There is a quite a healthy population of water voles in this area.

“It’s concerning when you consider so much progress has been made in recent times in regard to keeping the tributaries to the Luggie clear.”

A spokesperson from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), said: “SEPA was notified of oil in the Cult Burn, Lenzie, by a member of the public on 24 March, 2016.

“An investigation has been ongoing in the area to trace the source of the oil including visits to several premises in the area.

“SEPA is currently receiving good co-operation from businesses regarding their oils storage practices and monitoring is ongoing to ensure no further pollution incidents occur.”

Local residents believe that the local Arnold Clark car dealership is responsible for the pollution, but SEPA have been unable to confirm or deny that this is the case.

A spokesperson: “We’re not in a position to provide more info at this stage as our investigation is ongoing.”

An Arnold Clark spokesperson said: “We are aware of the situation at the Cult Burn and are continuing to work closely with SEPA to establish the root cause.”