Cleaning of all beaches affected by oil spill to be completed ‘within the next one month or so’: Grace Fu

In an update to the House on Wednesday, she said the clean-up operation was “progressing well”, adding that the first phase had been completed.

The second phase, which focuses on difficult-to-clean areas like rock bunds, breakwaters and oil trapped deeper in the sand, is well underway, Ms Fu added. 

“Some beaches have progressed to the final phase, where volunteers are mobilised to participate in the clean-up and accelerate the reopening of the beaches.”

The beaches will be reopened as clean-up operations are completed, Ms Fu added. 

Last Saturday, Siloso Beach at Sentosa reopened for water activities – one-and-a-half months ahead of the expected timeline. 

Some parts of East Coast Park also reopened for land-based activities. The public was advised in late July not to swim or undertake primary contact water sports such as wakeboarding and stand-up paddling in the beach waters.

“We plan to complete the cleaning of all affected beaches within the next one month or so,” Ms Fu told parliament on Wednesday.

In a supplementary question, Mr Tan asked about the expenses incurred so far. 

To this, Ms Fu said the government had not totalled up the cost of expenses “at this point in time”. 

“We are focusing our attention on the actual cleaning up, which I think deserves our priority, and also our urgent attention,” said the minister.