Oil Spill Blog

Oil spills are one of the most well-known sources of contamination. They are very hazardous to the environment and to the living organisms, such as plants and animals. Oil spilled or dumped in junkyards is a very serious issue. A Junkyard is a place that is used to store junk, wrecked and abandoned automobiles, trucks, and buses. Motor oils, automobile fluids, and other solid wastes from these junks are dumped into the yard. These oil spills can carry heavy metals and other toxic wastes that are considered to have deleterious effect on nature.

During heavy rain or by surface drains, the toxic chemicals and heavy metals from junkyards seep into the soil making cleaning difficult. Oil spill cleanup procedures are not only tedious but also quite expensive. There are several oil spill cleanup procedures followed by ecologists. They include bioremediation, booms, skimmers, sorbents, chemical dispersants, biological agents, and more.

Of the lot, the most effective and greener way to cleanup the oil spill is bioremediation. A product that makes use of this technology is Oil Gone Easy S-200. It is an eco-friendly oil stain remover that can be used to not only cleanup oil spills on a large scale but also to remove tough oil stains from driveways, garages, and more. Oil Gone Easy Home & Driveway S-200 oil stain remover can be used on different surfaces, such as concrete, flag stone, asphalt, brick, pavers, cobblestone, and soil. This oil stain remover is not only easy to use but also cost effective.

Some Tips in Oil Spill Management:

• In order to prevent oil spills, outdoor storage facilities should have a permanent roof. It prevents precipitation and restricts sunlight entering the storage area.

• Always store degreasers and solvents in a tightly covered container.

• Rags contaminated with paint, solvents, grease, or oil must be sent to a recycling facility.

Popularity: 61% [?]

Freshwater bodies are not just the main source of drinking water, they also serve as nesting grounds and food sources for various organisms. Oil spills could pose a serious threat to freshwater ecosystems as the fresh water organisms are exposed to high risk.

Fresh water ecosystem includes two habitats, standing water, and the flowing water. Oil spills affect standing water more severely than flowing water as the currents offer a natural cleaning mechanism.

When an oil spill occurs, not only are the aquatic creatures smothered to death, the aquatic vegetation is also susceptible to deadly effects of oil spills. Oil spilled into the rivers clings to plants and grasses. Animals that feed on these plants are also affected, causing a serious damage to the food chain.

In addition, birds and mammals either get killed or injured soon after they come into contact or will be slowly poisoned by long-term exposure to oil that is trapped in shallow water bodies or stream beds. Thus oil spills have a catastrophic effect on the local ecology.

The Freshwater Spills Information Clearinghouse (FSIC) serves as a point of entry for freshwater oil spill planning and response information. It includes research data and document abstracts, geographic information system data relevant and organizational links.

The effectiveness of Freshwater Spills Information Clearinghouse depends on how much the research community posts historic and current information electronically. But there has been a lack of information specifically related to oil spills on freshwater bodies. This has been highlighted in meetings such as the Freshwater Spills Symposium and also by groups such as the Great Lakes Spill Protection Initiative (GLPSI).

FSIC also posts available environmental, economic, and cultural sensitivity data electronically and will work along with the Great Lakes Information Network’s (GLIN’s) geographic information system (GIS). Organizations that play a major role are also linked. Increased awareness and higher profile for FSIC will bring in more of these groups into the network.

Popularity: 24% [?]

Residential oil spills can be caused by different things such as domestic fuel tank leakage, oil spills during floods, and oil leakage from vehicles or lawn mowers. Whatever the cause of the spill, the outcome is disastrous.

An oil spill at home can prove to be dangerous to you and your family. Besides fire hazards, chances of associated health hazards are high. Vapors from petroleum products are highly noxious and can cause problems such as increased blood pressure, nausea, eye irritation, headaches, and light-headedness when inhaled. Long-term exposure to high levels of harmful vapors can cause nervous and respiratory problems. That is why you should know how to deal with residential oil spills.

Here are some steps that you can follow to efficiently manage residential oil spills. The first thing to do when a spill occurs is to report it to the oil delivery company. Next come the safety precautions. Remove all sources of ignition. Open the windows for proper ventilation. Do not operate central heating or air conditioning. Furnace fan should be shut down to minimize the distribution of odors throughout the house.

Now comes the most important part of all, the oil spill cleanup. You can minimize the damage caused by removing oil stains promptly. So, try your best to contain the spill as early as possible. Use a good oil stain remover such as Oil Gone Easy S-200, an eco-friendly product that makes use of the bioremediation technology to degrade oil. Pour this oil stain remover on the oil spill or on oil stains anywhere in your home. Wear full pants, long sleeved shirts, rubber gloves, and overshoes during oil spill cleanup work to reduce skin exposure. Make sure that you don’t track oil from contaminated area to other parts of the house. If there is a strong odor, fans can help control it.

Popularity: 45% [?]