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!

Whenever there is a traffic incident, the safety of responders, victims of the incident, motorists, and the environment from the hazardous material spilt has to be the pressing concern. But why is traffic incident management and managing hazardous material spills so important? It’s simply because, by properly managing hazardous material spills, you will not only improve the safety of the responding personnel, but also minimize the possibilities of a secondary crash!

So as a responder what should you do as soon as you come across a traffic incident? You should first begin assessing the field conditions so as to determine what kind of actions would be required. It is also absolutely essential that you check the incident location for the presence of any potentially harmful materials. Do you think just identifying is sufficient? Definitely no! Once you identify that there is an oil spill or any other hazardous spill, you should immediately look at the alleviation measures to remove the possible threat. You might come across anything from vehicle fluids to cargo contents that are being transported.

The key to successfully remove a hazardous spill is to acquire adequate knowledge about the safety, clean-up, and disposal guidelines. Knowing these guidelines would help eradicate the threat effectively. But, beware of any water sources that may be nearby the area of incidence. Responders should also make a note of the vehicle type or the labeling as they would help the personnel to determine the amount and type of the material spill. In case it’s a cargo oil spill, then the responders can make use of the hazardous material placards to assess the incident.

Larger oil spills or engine fluids are exempted by few states, provided the oil spill has been contained on the pavement. For effective oil spill cleanup, responders can resort to environmental friendly solutions, such as Oil Gone Easy S-200. Oil Gone Easy S-200 acts as a bioremediation accelerator and an agglomerator, which bonds to oil and breaks it into water and carbon dioxide.

Pros:

Here are some advantages of using oil spill dispersants

• Oil spill dispersants change the chemical and physical properties of oil so that it mixes better with water.

• Oil spill dispersants when used efficiently can prove to be a effective method of oil spill containment.

Cons:

Though using dispersants may seem like a fair idea, it has several drawbacks

• First and foremost, once dispersants break down oil in the deep water, the oil gets to the top surface, which is then contained using booms. But, what makes their use not advisable is the fact that they cannot be used near the shore. If used, they might be even toxic than the oil itself. For instance, Corexit, the dispersant being used in the containment of the recent Gulf oil spill is a kerosene-based dispersant and can be considered hazardous. Also, EPA recommends the use of this dispersant only at depths of 75 meters or deeper.

• Dispersants can be effective only when used within 1 or 2 days after an oil spill, after which natural weathering makes the oil more complex to disperse.

• Dispersed oil also stands the risk of entering the food chain as there are chances of the oil being consumed by planktons.

• Viscous oil cannot be dispersed effectively using chemical dispersants since the oil may run off into the water even before the solvents can penetrate.

Since chemical oil spill dispersants’ cons overweigh pros, you can think of using eco-friendly cleaners, such as Oil Gone Easy S-200, which works using bioremediation technique, to cleanup oil spills.

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.

It is generally erroneously believed by nearly all that big tanker oil spills are the major contributor to the oil pollution that occur in the world’s oceans. But, did you know that spills resulting from engine oil changes on land, leak nearly nine times the amount of oil spilled from tankers into the sea?

While global awareness is concentrated more on the devastating marine oil spills, including the very recent spill that happened in Gulf of Mexico, less attention – indeed practically no attention is paid to the deleterious effects of small spills.

From the environmental experts’ perspective, mini oil spills that occur on land contribute a considerable percentage to the petroleum hydrocarbon pollutants that reach the oceans. Though unbelievable, it is a fact that the mini spills that occur on land in North America over a period of eight months, when put together, create a volume of oil that almost equalizes with the Alaskan Exxon Valdez spill that happened in 1989. Can you guess the exact volume of oil? It is something you would never have dreamed of. Yes, it is an astonishing 10.8 million gallons or 250,000 barrels of petroleum.

The land-based oil spills that occur accidentally, which we actually tend to ignore are actually the ones that require special attention. It is solely because these oil pollutants reach the water bodies when it rains. A research by the National Research Council states that, even an oil spill as small as five quarts can degrade the quality of millions of gallons of water.

With such devastating effects, this problem definitely calls for a timely solution. To safeguard our environment from the threat posed from such spills and oil stains on pavement a lot depends on us. For instance, if there are any accidental spills at home, immediate remediation or removing oil stains using eco-friendly products, such as Oil Gone Easy S-200 should be initiated. By adopting such eco-friendly methods of effective oil stain removal, you’ll reduce the chances of this environmental hazard to a great extent.

It is a known fact that the world’s oceans cover more than 70% of our planet’s surface. But what very few of us realize is that these precious resources are under catastrophic threat from several sources, including industrial, agricultural, and human activities. In view of showing appreciation to this precious resource of ours, for the first time in 1992, the Canadian government came up with the idea of World Oceans Day at the Earth Summit in Rio.

Since 1992, many countries across the globe have joined hands to celebrate the World Oceans Day on June 8th every year. The theme of this day “Our Oceans, Our Responsibility” is in itself an eye-opener of sorts. It is a call to all of us to do our bit for protecting the oceans.

You too can take part in World Oceans Day and contribute to the noble mission of protecting the oceans. Just keep in mind some of these tips and you for sure would have made a great difference!

• Equip your boats with proper bilge discharge options and avoid dumping oily bilge water into the sea.

• Be very careful while changing and refueling oil in your boat and prevent any accidental oil spills.

• For bilge cleaning and accidental oil spill cleanup use of eco-friendly cleaners, such as Oil Gone Marine S-200 would be the best bet. S-200 can be the safest method you can think of, for it uses bioremediation technology to break down the oil and convert it into carbon dioxide and water.

• Even in your garage or anywhere in your home, avoid the use of toxic chemicals and detergents to remove oil spills or leaks from. Instead, consider using green products, such as Oil Gone Easy Home & Driveway S-200.

• Minimize the use of pesticides and fertilizers in your garden and ensure proper disposal of construction residual thereby reduce pollution from storm water runoff.

People associated with commercial facilities, such as garages, marinas, refineries, or construction sites will definitely accept the fact that cleaning up the facilities of the dirt, grime, and oil accumulated can be very daunting. Hence, most of them tend to make use of strong chemical cleaning agents to maintain the commercial spaces.

But very few realize the ill-effects associated with such abrasive cleaning products. Not only are these harsh commercial cleaning products cleaning agents extremely harmful to the environment, but they pose significant health risks, such as eye, skin and respiratory irritation and may also cause allergic reactions as well.

The impact of these harsh commercial cleaning products on the cleaning personnel is also greater. Since they are exposed to toxic chemicals for a longer time, they are more prone to serious chronic illnesses, including cancer, neurological, or even reproductive disorders.

One solution that ensures effective cleaning without any side-effects is the use of green cleaning products. In the attempt to “Go Green,” most industries just think of practices, such as recycling or minimizing the use of electricity. The idea of using green cleaners over toxic commercial cleaning products strikes only a few. This small change of practice will in fact make a large difference.

For instance, for cleaning up oil spills in a refinery, a gas station, or a rail yard where the contamination from oil spills is large, it would be a great idea to incorporate an effective eco-friendly oil spill cleaner, such Oil Gone Easy S-200. This product works using the EPA certified bioremediation technology, which breaks down the oil and converts it into water and carbon dioxide. Hence it is perfectly safe on the environment and humans as well.

Hence, commercial cleaning could be achieved even better with the use of green cleaning products.

It is quite a common sight to see the coastal waters being used for recreational boating and marinas. But unknown to many is the fact that these activities pose a catastrophic threat to the coastal waters.

Marinas, the places where the boats are maintained and operated, undoubtedly presents several possibilities of polluting the marine waters. Oil spills or oil leaks from boats, bottom paints, hull cleaners, sewage discharge, anti-freeze, and other similar effluents resulting from operation and maintenance activities are some of the common causes.

Though the amount of pollutants contributed by individual boats might seem negligible, it becomes considerable when the pollution caused by thousands of boaters and marinas are put together. Only when effective methods of managing this nonpoint source pollution are adopted, we can pave way for a safe environment.

To begin with, boaters should ensure that there is no discharge of sewage into recreational waters. While on boat, the use of U.S. Coast Guard-approved marine sanitation device (MSD) to contain the fecal matter and solid waste might help. By doing so, they minimize or ultimately eliminate the chances of degradation of water quality.

It is obligatory that the marinas are sited in areas where natural flushing encourages water circulation. As used motor oil that is contaminated with pollutants is not recyclable, it is better that marinas provide ecologically safe disposal sites.

Engine oil spills during boat maintenance or oil spills from overfilled tanks no matter how minor they are cannot be neglected. They definitely call for immediate remediation. To clean up such oil spills and prevent them from causing any further harm make use of a greener and safer method, such as Oil Gone Easy Marine S-200 which is an agglomerator and bioremediation accelerator. This product can also be used as a bilge cleaning product.

Storm water pollution is undoubtedly a serious cause of concern. But very few of us realize that we contribute to this kind of pollution. There are several factors, such as tipping of litter, chemical pollution, and natural pollution that lead to storm water pollution. It is the duty of each one of us to take measures to keep our waters free from pollution.

Prevention of storm water pollution can be kicked off right from your garage. The most common of all pollutants that pollute storm water is oil spills and oil leaks. It is vital that you check your car or bike, machinery and other oil run equipment for leaks or oil spills often.

Also ensure that you avoid the use of harmful chemicals or detergents for cleaning up oil spill from your garage. Instead use environmentally friendly oil spill cleaners to remove oil spills from the driveway. Oil Gone Easy Home & Driveway S-200, an eco-friendly biodegradable product will help you with this tiring task of oil spill cleanup. Used oil or fluids can be recycled. So avoid dumping into trash or in the storm water drain.

When it comes to your lawn and garden, you have to be careful with the amount of pesticides and fertilizers that you use. Recycling your yard waste and avoiding over watering your plants can help reduce storm water pollution to some extent.

While you begin with your home repair, it is better that you take care of the disposal of the construction residual. There are possibilities of spills and leakages of liquids and oils on the construction site. Making sure that the oil spills are cleaned up immediately is essential.

Storm water pollution by driveway oil spills and domestic fuel tank spills are increasingly high, thus efficient oil spill cleaner should always be at hand. Oil Gone Easy Home & Driveway S-200 is the perfect and safe solution to prevent the disastrous consequences of oil spills.

When we talk of urban pollution, our mind conjures images of toxic factory dumps and oil spills and leaks from industrial pipes. However, according to studies, that may not be the main cause of water pollution. It’s the little things that occur in routine and daily public life that really contribute to pollution. This is called nonpoint source pollution. When rainfall, snowmelt, or irrigation water flows across public areas, residential spaces such as garages and parking lots, and forests, the water picks up several contaminants and pollutants.

Nonpoint source pollutants comprise of soil particles and sediments, oil and grease molecules, pesticides, heavy metals constituents, and toxic chemicals. Surprisingly, all these substances could be the result of simple, careless actions of people. Improper disposal of batteries, overfilling your gas tank, and painting a house without minding the usage of harmful paints and varnishes can all lead to nonpoint source pollution due to surface water runoff.

You could certainly make a difference by avoiding these mistakes. Also, you could do your bit for the environment by putting in that additional effort. You can make use of a bio-degradable product such as the Oil Gone Easy Home & Driveway S-200. This product helps in oil stain removal and cleans up driveway oil stains and concrete oil stains.

In addition to that, this oil stain remover is not harmful to have around children and pets as well. You can also contribute to a safer marine environment by safely disposing of your boat’s bilge. Here again, the Oil Gone Easy Marine S-200 comes to your aid. Just a bottle is enough to eliminate bilge oil for up to two months! It acts as an oil absorbent and prevents your boat from discharging the contaminated fuel-water mixture into the waters. Also, you can do small things such as making use of tarps to catch any spillage of paint or varnish during a paint job and using natural and environment-friendly products for washing your car.

While calamities such as unintentional oil spills cannot be avoided, nonpoint source pollution is an issue that is within your control and can be effectively addressed.