Just like every other thing you possess, at some point of time even boats will be worn out, and they need to be disposed off. Proper boat disposal is part and parcel of clean boating practices! So, why should we concern ourselves with the proper disposal of unwanted vessels? These old vessels pose environmental hazards that need to be avoided.

So if you possess a boat that can no longer be used, don’t just let it sink by itself! You might wonder as to why you shouldn’t sink your unwanted vessel! Sinking of unwanted vessels is not only illegal, and it also causes harm to the water resource. So beware! If you are found sinking an unwanted vessel, you may be charged with a fine of up to $1500 as per section 525 of the Harbors and Navigation Code. Here are a few things that you could do to dispose your used vessel.

• You can think of donating your used boat to some charity, which will accept unwanted vessels as tax-deductible donations. But make sure that your boat is in a good condition when you donate it! Clean your boat’s bilge by using eco-friendly bilge cleaners such as the Oil Gone Easy S-200 for oil cleanup.

• Another way of boat disposal is by reselling your used boat or rather its reusable parts. Certain salvagers or used boat parts dealers will be able to make money from your used boats by reselling them. But the charges for dismantling your boat will be deducted from the total value of the useable parts. There are a few dealers who place certain constraints on the length and the vessel type that they accept. So if you’re looking for a used boat parts dealer, you can get help from your local yellow pages.

• If you think that your used vessel is totally out of condition, then you can look for dealers who dismantle and dispose the vessel. The marginal cost for enlisting these waste disposal services is somewhere between $15 and $20.

Practice proper boat disposal methods and ensure that you keep the waters clean!

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!

Fuel oils spills in residential areas can be classified into two types: small oil spills and large oil spills. Small oil spills are usually caused due to leakage in oil tanks or pipes. Large oil spills occur while filling storage oil tanks, due overturning of tanks, or when a basement oil tank overfills. Small scale oil spill cleanup can be done by us. But for large scale oil spills we would definitely need a professional help.

There are some basic oil spill cleanup methods that should be followed by everyone.

• Even small oil spills need to be responded immediately. If left as it is, the spilled oil will seep into cracks and will be very difficult to clean. If the spill is saturated on a concrete or wooden surface, then the only way to clean up the place would be demolition of the place. To avoid this problem, you can try Oil Gone Easy S-200. It is an oil stain remover that removes oil stains from any surface that include concrete, flag stone, brick, pavers, and soil.

• In case of oil spills in your house, first thing to be done is to turn off flame and spark sources. Attempt to clean up the spilled oil by vacuum cleaner should also be avoided.

For small oil spills

• Prevent unnecessary exposure to oil by the use of rubber gloves and shoes. Proper ventilation is also very important to avoid any accidents.

• Use absorbent material over the spill. Dispose the oil spill absorbent carefully in a heavy-duty plastic bag. Use of soap and hot water is recommended to clean up oil on hard surfaces and appliances. Repeat the cleaning if necessary.

For large oil spills

• Report the spill immediately to an oil delivery company or to the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). It is important to inform the fire department for them to check for any explosion hazard. Call a professional clean up service.

• Fuel oil has many toxic substances that cause headaches, nausea, dizziness, and also causes serious health problems in extreme cases.

In any case of oil spill, care should be taken to avoid harmful chemicals which affect the environment as well as animals. Use environmentally friendly products, such as Oil Gone Easy for oil spill cleanup methods.

Water pollution is the contamination or adulteration of the water bodies, such as rivers, lakes, seas, oceans, and ground water by number of human activities. Since water is essential for all our basic needs, water pollution is a threat to us. Many communicable diseases spread through unclean water, which even results in death.

Although there are different factors that contribute to water pollution, listed below are the most dangerous causes of water pollution.

• Factories and nuclear plants play a major role in polluting the water. Wastes from factories include toxins, such as lead, mercury, and other contaminants. These chemicals are very harmful and can lead to serious health hazards.

• Nonpoint sources are one of the major causes of water pollution. Oil spills from cars, trucks, and other vehicles on land get mixed with rainwater and runoff into streams and lakes polluting them. These nonpoint sources are very difficult to monitor and control, so it falls on each individual to make sure that their vehicles used does not in any way contribute to further pollution. Proper maintenance of vehicles and oil spill cleanup using eco-friendly products, such as Oil Gone Easy S-200 will help to a great extent.

• Fertilizers and pesticides used in agricultural farms, homeowners lawns, and roadsides are a threat to the natural water source. When runoff into local streams or rivers or when drained down into groundwater, they contaminate the water completely.

• Mining is another major reason for water pollution. Heavy metals and sulfur components which are buried in the earth are exposed during mining and during rainfall these toxic chemicals are exposed, which ultimately result in “acid rain drainage”

• Surprising though it may seem, air pollution is also a cause of water pollution. Pollutants, such as sulfur dioxide, nitric acid, and mercury, when deposited out of air results in nutrient pollution and acidification of lakes.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has certain rules regarding oil spill cleanup. EPA had published the rules of the Facility Response Plan (FRP) on July 1, 1994. It listed persons who should prepare and submit the FRP and the points that must be included in the plan. Several revisions to the FRP rule were made including the requirements for animal fats and vegetable oils, which was finalized in 2000.

According to the Clean Water Act amended by the Oil Pollution Act, the EPA requires facilities that store and use oil to prepare and submit the Facility Response Plans. Facilities that may cause substantial harm should respond to the Facility Response Plans. All facility owners are also required to maintain a certification form for future EPA inspections.

The Regional EPA Administrator visits facilities to checkout factors like age of tanks, total oil storage capacity, lack of secondary containment, proximity to navigable waters, transfer operations, threat to animals and drinking water, and previous history of oil spills.

EPA expects the FRP to be consistent with the National Contingency Plan and applicable to the Area Contingency Plans. The plans must also identify worst cases of oil discharges to remove them effectively as soon as possible. It helps owners to improve their discharge prevention methods through early identification of risks involved. The facility’s name, location, and owner’s name along with training programs, unannounced drills, and response actions of people on the vessel or facility should be mentioned in the plan. The plan must be also be updated periodically for future references.

In case of oil spills, it is safer to use green cleaning technologies for oil spill cleanup than use harmful chemicals. Facilities can make use of biodegradable products for oil spill cleanup and oil stain removal from rocks and runways. Oil Gone Easy offers eco-friendly products like Oil Gone Easy S-200, which helps in cleaning oil spills without damaging the environment.

Several studies have been conducted by researchers the world over to address the various aspects of oil behavior during marine oil spills and oil spills on land. There may be many reasons for oil spills, but to ensure a successful oil spill response, it is very important to know the behavior of oil in different circumstances.

In marine oil spills the most common type of oil spilled is crude oil. When marine oil spills occur, the oil disperses rapidly in the same direction as the wind causing long and narrow slicks. The lighter fractions of the oil evaporate at a faster rate, whereas the denser particles tend to sink to the seabed, causing widespread harm to the aquatic life. Due to the wave action some oil even mixes with the water and emulsifies. The hierarchies on the food chain, from sea plankton to the largest of whales are greatly affected.

In contrast, on land, the lightest of oils prove to be a larger problem, as these oils seep through the soil at a much faster rate. This poses a risk to the purity of groundwater. The heavier and denser oils have higher viscosity and cannot penetrate through the ground easily. In cases of oil spills on land, spreading does not take place, so there will not be any evaporation of the lighter fractions or emulsification. The chance of the oil mixing with gravel, vegetation and other soil is also at hand.

The crucial steps in a response action plan include speedy response times, efficient control of widespread dispersion both on land and on sea, skimmers and pumps to take care of the resulting debris, and a temporary storage facility. Oil spill cleanup is one of the most important steps in any response plan. Oil Gone Easy S-200 is an eco-friendly oil spill cleaner that biodegrades any kind of oil, on any surface without causing any environmental harm.