Oil Spill Blog

Home heating system requires lot of regular maintenance and care for preventing oil spills. Oil spill disaster usually occurs when storage tanks are overfilled, have leaks, the heating system malfunctions. Oil leaks from home heating systems tend to seep into the soil, contaminating the underground water and foundation of the house. Also, the fuel oil, being combustible, can lead to many other safety hazards.

Oil spill dispersants can help you get rid of such oil spills, but they are usually very expensive and non-biodegradable. So, preventing oil spills is always better than an oil spill cleanup. After all, a stitch in time saves nine!
If you are worried as to how to avoid oil spills, then here are few tips:

• Make sure that you check the heating system regularly for any oil stains or leaks and act immediately to stop the leak.

• A major cause of oil spills is overfilling of the tank. So, come every fall, inspect the vent pipe, keep it clear of any obstruction, and make sure an audible sound is coming from the vent.

• Check for any signs of corrosion and replace affected parts immediately.

• Oil tanks generally start corroding from inside. So, if you notice any signs of aging in the tank, it is best to have a technician check it and replace it, if necessary.

• For above-ground tanks, check if the legs of the tank are stable and strong enough to hold the weight. Surely, we don’t want the tank to fall over result in an oil spill disaster!

Even with these precautions, there is always the possibility of an accidental oil spill. In such cases, it is best to use biodegradable oil spill cleaners, rather than chemical oil spill dispersants to ensure that the environment is brought back to its natural state. Oil Gone Easy S-200 is one such eco-friendly cleaner used for oil spill cleanup.

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Last year saw the worst oil spill disaster in US history when BP’s Deepwater Horizon deep sea drilling rig exploded and the wellhead started gushing out crude oil by thousands of gallons. At that time, the immediate concern was to have an effective oil spill response that would contain the oil spill and limit the damage to the environment. As part of the oil spill cleanup huge quantities of dispersants were used to contain the Gulf oil leak, both on the surface as well as deep underwater near the wellhead.

Although the immediate danger had been taken care of, a new and equally disturbing concern has cropped up in the form of the dispersants used in the oil spill cleanup. According to a study, the dispersants injected deep in the water to counter the oil gusher, still linger underwater, raising concerns of long-term problems. Scientists have conducted field tests on the oil spill dispersants to determine the biodegradation rate and results show that the rate is quite slow. In some cases, it is seen that it is the oil that breaks down quickly than the dispersant.

This fact has brought to light several concerns regarding oil spill dispersants. They contain harmful chemicals that leave behind a witch’s brew of other potentially dangerous chemicals after interacting with crude oil in water. The threat to human health and marine environment will have long term effects, in health and in lifestyle. With the Gulf oil toxic dispersants moving around deep underwater, the marine ecosystem in the Gulf is in a very critical state.

All these problems could have been avoided by using appropriate oil spill cleanup techniques. Using a biodegradable dispersant is the most apt choice as it is unlikely to linger on and affect the environment. Oil Gone Easy Marine S-200 is one such biodegradable oil spill cleaner that clears oil spills using bioremediation, bringing back the environment to its naturally pristine state.

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Your driveway can turn into an unpleasant sight if you keep disregarding cracks and oil spills. You need to patch up and repair your asphalt driveway every now and then to keep it free of unsightly spots. Following few simple steps will help you protect and maintain your driveway!

If you wish to keep your driveway clean, then you must check your vehicle condition routinely! Engine oil spills may result in greasy concrete asphalt driveway making it too risky to drive. Recurring spills are a clear indication that your car is not in a good form and needs to be taken to a mechanic right away!

Grayish looking driveway instead of the usual shiny black is also a sign of poor maintenance. Clean your driveway first! Sweeping or water washing is a good idea. Do not stop with that! You ought to check your concrete asphalt driveway for cracks. If you find any, then remove the debris inside the crack and reseal it with a driveway patch that resists moisture. Leave it undisturbed for a day or two.

Cracked driveways tend to retain spilt oil that sooner or later leads to water pollution. Furthermore, asphalt being highly porous, makes oil drip through the pores very easily. Asphalt driveway resurfacing is just the right way to get rid of cracks!

However, before resealing your driveway, you have to make sure that the oil spills and stains are removed. Do chemical driveway cleaners get rid of oil spills efficiently? No! Chemical cleaners remove only traces of oil leaving a great deal untouched! Also, the chemicals in the cleaners also pollute the air with noxious gases, which not only may lead to cancer, but also put your pet’s wellbeing in jeopardy!

However, degrading oil biologically using eco-friendly oil spill cleaners, such as Oil Gone Easy Home & Driveway S-200 ensures safe and absolute oil spill cleanup! This eco-friendly product works well on any surface and it will be just so easy to eliminate oil stains from your driveway! Your driveway will look smooth and spotless and regain its shiny black appearance!

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Regardless of the size, a marine oil spill calls for effective and immediate oil spill cleanup measures. But did you ever know how much does it cost to combat a marine oil spill? Well, to be fair enough, there is no predetermined cost as such, when it comes to oil spill cleanup! To be precise, the total cost involved varies depending on a number of factors.

Of all the cost determining factors, the type of the oil takes the lead role! And the reason is pretty simple. Each type of oil has its own specific properties and its reaction to water definitely differs! Light refined products, such as gasoline and diesel, when spilt on the sea, tend to evaporate at a rapid rate reducing the cost of oil spill cleanup. On the other hand, heavy crude oils are non-volatile making oil spill cleanup extremely difficult and expensive as well.

The next important factor is the amount of oil spilt. It’s quite obvious that larger oil spills require more intensive cleanup and of course cost more! But, there are definitely chances for a fall in the cost as the extent of contamination caused by a larger spill might be less severe at times.

Besides the type and amount of the oil spill, the location also has a crucial part to play in cost incurred to clean up the oil spill. This is simply because the location decides the extent of oil spill cleanup response required.

Above everything else, the remedial measures taken have a direct impact on the cost of cleanup. The use of eco-friendly oil stain removers, such as Oil Gone Easy S-200 to clean up an oil spill will not only help reduce the cost to a great extent, but will also help contribute to a cleaner, greener world!

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Home heating oil spills can occur due to many reasons. One common cause for such oil spills is that there might be a leak in the storage tank or the storage tank might overfill and end up in a spill. Although it’s quite a common issue, responding to it at the earliest is essential!

Why do home heating oil spills require a quick response? It’s simply because there are chances that such spills can contaminate your drinking water! Also, these oil spills pose threat to your safety as the fuel is combustible. And also your house might smell unpleasant because of the odors emanating from these spills.

Here is what you should do if you happen to come across a home heating oil spill:
• As oil is combustible, to be on the safe side, it is wise to turn off all ignition sources. Also, avoiding smoking or lighting a match in the affected area.
• React immediately! You can get the help of your local fire department. Your next move should be to call up the Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) 24-hr hotline and inform them about the oil spill.
• You should open up windows and ventilators to get rid of the odor and fumes.
• Do not breathe in the oil fumes or have any physical contact with oil. Rubber boots or gloves can be used to safeguard yourself!
• And finally you can use eco-friendly products such as the Oil Gone Easy S-200 to ensure effective oil spill cleanup. The Oil Gone Easy S-200 is an environmentally safe product to deal with oil spills, and it works by bonding with oil and breaking it into water and carbon dioxide.

Follow these simple steps and protect your family and yourself from the ill effects of home heating oil spills!

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The oil spill that occurred in the Michigan River has been declared as the “largest oil spill in the history of the Midwest.” With more than 80,000 gallons of oil being released into a creek and making its way into the Kalamazoo River, a state of emergency was declared in southwest Michigan’s Kalamazoo County.

Morrow Lake a recreation spot between Battle Creek and Kalamazoo was also contaminated because of this oil spill. As with any oil spill birds and fishes have also been affected. The spill has also led to the evacuation of few homes and relocation of about two dozen people.

Jeff Spoelstra, coordinator for the Kalamazoo River Watershed Council, said that this disaster has further pushed back the effort that was being taken to cleanup the already polluted river. Crews were dispatched for oil spill cleanup by both Enbridge Energy Partners and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. To limit the oil’s spread into the surrounding wetlands, skimmers and 28,000 feet of boom were also set up.

At the Ceresco Dam, downstream from the leak, workers used vacuum trucks to cleanup the oil spill from the water. When the air near the oil spill was tested, cancer-causing chemical benzene was found present. As it was only in trace levels, it was termed harmless to the residents. Groundwater testing was also proposed, to check if the oil might have seeped through.

People have been advised by the Michigan Department of Community Health to stay away from the river during the oil spill cleanup. Although oil spill containment has been done, it is expected to take months to completely clean up the oil spill. The oil spill has been contained, but for further cleanup of the remaining oil, the officials can give heed to the recommendation made by State of Louisiana to use Oil Gone Easy S-200 for effective oil spill cleanup.

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Oil spills on highways; most of us would never have given a second thought to them. But, once you just get a glimpse of their damaging effects, the impact will remain in your minds for a long time. In case of an oil spill on highways, not only are the people who live and drive in the nearby area exposed, but also the ocean’s, which may seem many miles away, are affected.

Here are some of the major impacts of oil spills that occur on highways:

• Highways are probably one area that is filled with a variety of toxic chemicals, including fuel and brake fluids. But how many of us are aware that the fuel spilt as a result of accidents and leaks from vehicles, reaches the nearby rivers and drains, when it rains? As estimated, the amount of oil leaked from highway runoff from a single large city is almost equal to that resulting from a tanker spill.

• Oil spill on a highway has one more profound impact; it makes the driving surface extremely slippery. The conditions get even worse when it rains, especially in areas with lower rainfall. It’s because of the fact that in such areas oil leaks from cars accumulate over long periods making the roads more slippery when it eventually rains.

• Well, this is not the end! Spills on highway can also affect public health. Apart from causing irritation to human skin, exposure to oil can increase the susceptibility to cancer. Also, since the runoff from highways contaminates the oceans, even marine life is affected and eventually the people who consume contaminated marine food.

Having gotten a fair idea about the effects of small or large oil spills on highways, you’ll no longer wonder about the importance of immediate oil spill containment. So, if you happen to come across an oil spill, then immediate response using eco-friendly oil spill cleaners, such as Oil Gone Easy S-200 may prove fruitful.

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What if someone pours gallons of crude oil on you, in your home, and over your entire neighborhood? Petrified by the act? Marine organisms face a similar plight whenever a marine oil spill occurs. Oil spill behavior irreversibly damages the fauna and flora of the marine eco system.

Rapid currents and wind spread the marine oil spill to coastal areas and other waterways all over the world. As the oil spreads, it turns into a sticky mass called mousse. When feathery creatures encounter this, they are soaked up in mousse, and begin battling for life.

Oil by nature has a tendency to keep us warm. When it clings on the feathers it makes birds lose their ability to insulate themselves, forcing them to death eventually. The mousse not only affects birds but also seal pups and otters, whose fur gets sticky and messy.

What is even worse is that the birds and animals try to wipe out the oil from their bodies by licking it! They accidently swallow the harmful oil and poison themselves with the toxins and harmful chemicals in the crude oil.

Marine oil spill also has a devastating effect on the reproduction rate. The Gulf of Mexico is the breeding ground for many turtles and sharks. The vast spread of the oil spill has affected the egg laying season of the marine life, leading to a decrease in the marine population. In extreme cases, the oil spill has adverse effects on the behavior of the marine life, making them even desert their young ones.

The use of chemical-based dispersants in cleaning up the oil spill instead of biodegradable options like Oil Gone Easy S-200 has also proved lethal. The oil that reaches the shore affects planktons and other organisms, depriving sea creatures of their food, which in turn disturbs the food web.

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For the first ever commercial oil spill that one can recall is the incident when the tanker Torrey Canyon ran aground off Cornwall on March 18, 1967 in the United Kingdom spilling 80,000 tones (119,000 barrels) of crude. Though this oil spill happened way back in 1967 the scenario today is also pretty much the same. Though the recent Gulf oil spill and the Singapore tanker oil spill may not entirely be caused by the vessels, it just calls our attention to the very notable fact, pollution from vessels.

According to a report released in 1980, of the 3.2 million tonnes of oil released into the ocean, almost half of it was from vessels. This estimation will help you get an idea on how grave this issue is. Accidental oil spills from tankers and commercial vessels, deliberate or operational discharges from commercial vessels, grounded and abandoned vessels are some of the most common.

Vessels also play a significant role in increasing global warming as over 90 percent of the global trade is carried through ships. It is estimated that ships in particular would be accountable for about 40% of the air pollution over land in addition to the 3.5% to 4% of all climate change emissions.

Discharge of ballast water when loading and unloading of cargo near the port is a major reason for pollution near the coasts. Apart from contaminating the sea with tar balls the ballast water also threatens ecology by introducing foreign species of organisms into the water. The discharged water also contains human effluents which when released can cause serious damage to the environment.

One simple method that can minimize marine pollution to a great extent is the usage of eco-friendly bioremediation product like Oil Gone Easy S-200 to clean the oily bilge water and immediate oil spill remediation in case of accidental oil spills.

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As the whole world is busy thinking of a solution to the Deepwater Horizon oil rig disaster, here comes the Singapore oil spill. Though not as disastrous as the Gulf Oil spill, it has equally raised concerns regarding our take on the bendable rules and regulations.

The collision of an oil tanker and the bulk carrier in the deep waters between Singapore and Malaysia has raised questions about the oil transportation norms. In Singapore oil spill, the sea has been polluted with almost 5000 tons of crude oil, resulting in the closure of 4.3 miles of the coastline.

As the scale of pollution was minor, the oil spill cleanup operations measures seem to have worked here. The Singapore Maritime and Port Authority who took up the daunting task of cleaning up oil spill now claim that the waters at Changi and the East Coast have “returned to normal.”

For oil spill cleanup, they incorporated several methods. They tried to contain the oil spill by sucking up the spilled oil in the empty containers of MT Bunga Kelana 3. The Pengerang waters were also safeguarded with three boats as a safety measure. The Malaysian and the Singapore water ways were also put under constant watch such that no new boats enter the oil spill area and further spread the pollution.

Around 20 vessels and 200 personnel were employed for oil spill cleanup. For oil spill containment, booms are also lined up near the oil tanker. And most of all, they used biodegradable cleaners to break up the oil. The warm temperature of the tropics seems to have worked for dispersal of oil.

The Government of Singapore and Malaysia has undoubtedly done a good job using biodegradable dispersants. It’s not too late for BP, who still appears to be at loss about dealing with the oil spill cleanup. It would be a wise decision to go in for biodegradable products like Oil Gone Easy S-200.

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