HongKongBlawg

Hong Kong may initiate a compensation claim against either China Shipping Container Lines or Sinopec following a disastrous spillage accident of 150 tons of polypropylene pellets into local waters. The raw plastic material is commonly used in many applications such as making and labelling car parts, packaging and the manufacturing of tables and other furnitures. The accident compensation claim consideration was sparked off after Typhoon Vincente, reported to be the strongest tropical storm to be seen in 13 years, caused the disastrous spillage of the polypropylene shipment from the container ship which was carrying them. After making their way into the sea, the white plastic pellets were dispersed around by currents and subsequently washed up on shores and in fish farms all around Hong Kong.

The accident compensation claim would have been a considerable one. However, fortunately, the plastic pellets are non-toxic and uncoloured meaning that and the damage done to the environment should be relatively minimal if compared with a disaster such as an oil spill. A great many Hong Kong locals gathered together in order to remove the pellets from the beach and, through their voluntary actions, successfully removed 71 tons out of the 150 tons on their own accord. Action groups have stated their relief that the damage to the water supply and marine life should be at least mitigated by the non-toxic nature of the pellets. The Chief Secretary for Administration, Carrie Lamb change stated that the
government should have revealed the information to the public earlier.
In spite of the relatively low environmental risk, so far two dozen fish have been found dead after having ingested the tiny pellets. Some experts are concerned that fish’s appetites may be lost after they ingest the pellets floating around in the sea. Hong Kong’s Food and Environment Hygiene Department is in the process of taking samples from the deceased fish in order to study the ramifications of the spillage. No doubt, this will be used as evidence in the compensation claim later on in court. The department has sent its staff to clean up locations on 10 different sectors around Hong Kong beaches. At present, the clean-up operation looks like it will last several weeks or maybe months and all the damage and man hours will be billed up if an accident compensation claim is launched.

So far, both of the potential defending parties in the potential accident claim have been hesitant to admit liability for the accident. Sinopec has assigned some 50 staff members in order to join the clean-up efforts as a gesture of good will but sources have reported that the company does not believe it should be held responsible for what happened as a result of a natural disaster. The linchpin of whether or not a compensation claim will be launched comes down to if the accident happened within Hong Kong’s territory. The precise location is not yet been confirmed but it’s thought that Hong Kong is currently consulting compensation claim experts just in case.

Jim Loxley is a Director for accident claim specialist, My Compensation.

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