Saturday afternoon saw a significant spill of manure from a biogas plant near the town of Tarm in Jutland. According to information from operations manager Lars Lyngvig from Fire & Rescue MidtVest, the spill began around 13:15, when a manure tank suddenly collapsed. Shortly after, it was discovered that another tank had also cracked, contributing to the spill. Each of the affected tanks has a capacity of 8000 cubic meters, but the exact extent of the spill is not yet known, as authorities have not determined how much manure the tanks contained at the time of the accident. The spill has been contained, and according to Lars Lyngvig, there is no risk of the manure reaching local streams or creeks.
By 16:30 on Saturday afternoon, tank trucks were already removing the manure from the area. Several measures have been taken to handle the situation. For example, a backhoe has been put into use, and a power generator has been shut down. Since emergency services do not have access to the inside of the tanks, a drone has been deployed to inspect the damage from the inside. Manure, a mixture of urine and feces from livestock, is often used as fertilizer in fields and in the production of biogas.
At this time, the cause of the tanks’ collapse has not been determined. Lars Lyngvig informed TV Midtvest that the clean-up work could extend over the next four days.