Employee at Label Printing Company Unintentionally Turns Nearby Creek Blue with Ink
NEW ALBANY, IN—July 18, 2014—An employee with Discount Labels Printing, based here, is responsible for turning the water bright blue in a nearby creek. According to WDRB, neighbors spotted the employee rinsing out a barrel that contained the ink, which flowed into a drain in front of his home, and then to a 450-foot section of the creek's tributary. Neighbors said his actions were not intentional, WDRB reported.
Officials with the Indiana Department of Environmental Management believe that the amount of ink that actually went into the water was small and that it was water-based and non-toxic. Tests are being conducted to confirm that, and officials will revisit the site today to determine if more cleanup of the creek will need to be done, reported WDRB.
Multiple agencies that responded to the scene rescued fish, frogs, and minnows from the creek, while they then pumped the creek dry.
Dave Daugherty with the Indiana Department of Environmental Management told WDRB that the fish were strained out of the vac truck's hose and then placed over in the creek upstream.
City officials said to WDRB that Discount Labels Printing would most likely have to pay for the cleanup costs.