Costco Oil Leak Under Formal Investigation

The Environmental Agency of Iceland announced Thursday that it is opening an official investigation into the massive oil leak originating from the Costco-operated petrol station in Garðabær, RÚV reports.

Last December, inhabitants of Hafnarfjörður and neighbouring communities complained to city officials about a foul stench in the air. After the Capital Region’s health inspection authorities set out to find the cause, it turned out to be a massive oil leak from the Costco petrol station in Garðabær. A total of 110.000 litres of diesel oil had leaked from the station, through the sewer systems of Hafnarfjörður and Garðabær, ultimately ending up in the ocean.

In the Capital Region’s health inspection authority’s meeting minutes last Monday, it is not fully substantiated if the leak had an impact on aquatic and marine life. All samples taken from the impacted area indicate diesel oil in small amounts.