Oil Spill Blog

Cleanup Costs associated with Port Oil Spill Cleanup

Port oil spills create a huge havoc and affect the surrounding environment heavily. The cleanup of in-port oil spill incidents is not an easy task. There are many facets to an oil spill cleanup employed. Several factors, such as type of oil spilled, location of the spill, weather conditions, and the reach of the spill in sensitive areas determine the cleanup costs in ports.

The cleanup cost incurred is really high, especially when manual recovery is involved. The cleanup operations sometimes tend to render more environmental damage when compared to the situation where the oil would have been left to degrade at a natural rate. However, that cannot be the case all the time as public demands and aesthetic considerations require some action to be taken for cleanup.

Manual containment can be the most damaging of all the oil spill cleanup exercises. In cases, especially where oil reaches the shore, the situation worsens since the use of heavy equipment and human resources can cause the oil to seep further into the sand and pebbles. Also, there is a possibility of damage to the physical integrity of the beach and the sensitive shoreline flora and fauna.

The type of oil spilled also plays a major role in determining the cleanup cost. Usually oil with lighter density is easy to cleanup than heavy oils as it easily evaporates. However, emulsified lighter oils are usually viscous, resulting in amplified cost related to oil spill cleanup.

In most cases, use of a dispersant is enough to mitigate the problem and it is easy to use as well. But, dispersants tend to linger in the deep water causing after effects to marine life at an immeasurable rate. So, it’s always better to use bio-degradable oil spill cleaners like Oil Gone Easy S-200. No after effects, easy to use, reduced cleanup cost, and most important of all – it’s harmless on Mother Nature. There more, this product is available in convenient 5-gallon pails. Places like Port of Pensacola have tried this product, you should too!


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Dealing with Port and Harbor Stormwater Runoff!

Have you ever given a second thought to how disastrous stormwater runoff pollution can prove to be? If no, then you are also one among thousand others who do not take this issue seriously. Any activity in ports and harbors causing an eco hazard reflects badly on the ocean. For instance, when oil leaks out of large tanker vessels while loading or unloading, then there is every chance for the leaked oil to get into the ocean waters. The flora and fauna of the sea are most badly affected, not to mention the degradation of the water quality. Such ruining impacts on water quality and aquatic beings, damage the marine ecosystem as a whole.

You might think that the probability of port oil spills contaminating the sea is rather too low. It might be considered true to a certain extent, but what if there is a storm? Stormwater runoff carries all those toxic and oily wastes from ports and harbors and leads them directly into the sea.

Though we might not win if we fight against the force of nature, we certainly can prevent chemicals and oil from mixing with the runoff. Only ‘Best Management Practices’ to the ‘Maximum Extent Practicable’ at ports and harbors will help us deal with it!

Finding a solution to a problem is impossible without properly understanding the source of the problem. In this case, the source is nothing but pollutants in ports and harbors, and from where they surface. The pollutants here are antifoulants, oil spills, heavy metals, organics, and cleaning chemicals, and they come out from routine seaport activities like loading, unloading, and boat hull cleaning. Modifying these activities is way above practicality, so finding remedies to nullify these chemical pollutants will be a viable option. Having environmentally-friendly spill cleaners handy is always a safe choice.

Oil Gone Easy S-200, an eco-friendly oil and grease cleaner, is a great example. It enhances the growth of oil eating bacteria to degrade oil. By using this product in ports and harbors, we can rule out pollution issues dealing with oily and greasy wastes.

If essential steps are taken to use this green product in ports and harbors, then there is going to be a sharp decrease in oil spill contamination. However, when we talk about stormwater runoff pollution, stringent BMPs and regulatory practices are also obligatory.

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Los Padres Oil Spill

Oil spills harming aquatic birds and animals have become rather too common – the oil spill into the tributary of Sespe Creek being the most recent one. This spill has caused waves of distress among environmentalists as the water body at issue is very close to a condor reserve in the Los Padres National Forest. However, there are no reports of wildlife injuries as of now. An area, not very far from this spilt area, has already been affected by a similar oil spill tragedy that occurred in 2007 for which a lawsuit has also been filed.

The Los Padres oil spill was a result of a pump failure at a ‘produced water’ storage facility located nearby. Produced water is nothing but a mixture of water and oil that is used in the drilling process. According to reports, about 630 gallons of crude oil and 25,700 gallons of ‘produced water’ leaked into the river. Toxic chemicals and crude oil in the ‘produced water’ have made their way through the river and are expected to have long term ill effects on the environment.

Officials were able to identify oil coated rocks and an oily sheen on the surface of the water after visiting the spill site. What made the matters still more worse was that oil absorbent materials were used to clean up the oil spill. It is the last thing that environmentalists would wish for.

The problem with oil absorbents is that even if they manage to sop up the oil from the river, getting rid of the oil in the materials is still a question. So, there has to be an effective technique to remove the oil from those absorbent pads. Dumping them could only worsen the situation. Despite all these problems, people continue to treat oil spills using oil absorbents, skimmers, and boomers during ocean oil spills. This situation badly needs to change and pave way for environmentally-friendly cleaning options!

Oil Gone Easy S-200 is an eco-friendly oil spill cleaner that uses micro organisms to eat up the spilt oil. This revolutionary oil spill cleaner has been recommended for the cleanup of the Gulf waters. So, why not for the Los Padres oil disaster?

Greener products like Oil Gone Easy S-200 should be relied upon to clean up everything right from minor home oil spills to serious oil spills in the oceans. This product is available in 5 gallon pails also.

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Parking Lot Oil Spills - Potentially Dangerous!

While talking about oil spills, most of us chew on marine oil spills, home and garage oil spills, and every other thing but parking lot oil spills. Oil leaks in parking lots are equally dangerous and are one of the major causes for water pollution. Surprising isn’t it? What will surprise you even more is that these spills are also a cause for the heating up of urban areas. Knowing the dangers, you would want to know ways on how to deal with such spills. So, here are a few tips on how to cleanup parking lot oil spills in a greener way.

Another fact that needs a mention is that it’s not just those oil specks in the parking areas that are risky; the method in which they are cleaned up also have a certain amount of risk factor to it. Water washing or using detergents to remove oil from the parking lots will seem to be a good idea. The area even appears to be free of oil and dirt. However the fact is that this method is even worse than the oil spill itself. They only wash down oil spill, eventually contaminating the water bodies nearby. The same is the case when it rains. So, it’s better to get rid of parking lot oil spills regularly.

Wondering what could be the best way to treat oil spills? Using Oil Gone Easy S-200, an environmentally safe oil spill cleanup product is a great idea. No more water pollution or unsightly oil specks in the parking lot!

Apart from oil spills, parking lots also account for increased temperatures and extensive land usage in urban areas. Some public parking lots occupy almost two times the area of their buildings, which tells us how much land goes unused. Shared parking lots are far better as they minimize land usage. Everything right from construction costs, property costs, and cleaning costs will come down. Also, a genuine sense of responsibility falls on the shoulders of the parking lot owners that urge them to keep the shared area clean.

Dividing the parking area into small sections, going for combined-use parking areas, or using eco-friendly oil spill cleaners to get rid of the oil spills as and when they occur can help deal with the situation. So, if you wish to save our environment, then go green in your parking issues. Make use of Oil Gone Easy S-200, which is available in 5 gallon pails to keep your parking area spotless!

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Its good to own a home heating oil tank, but it needs to be maintained with great care to avoid those nasty leakage problems. Improper maintenance of the home heating oil system may not only cause serious environmental concerns, but also can cause you thousands of dollars in fines and cleanup operations.

Heating Oil System

So, if you’re planning to set up your own oil tank, then go for a double walled one. An extra layer of protection is always better. Here are certain things you need to do if you want to maintain your home oil tank properly.
Cleanup of oil spills from home oil tanks may not seem like a tough job when compared to indentifying the oil leak immediately. So, it’s always good to know the vital signs that tell you if your oil tank is in a bad shape. Oil spots around your tank, unpleasant odor in areas away from the oil burner are all indications of a possible oil leak. Lack of vegetation around the oil tank or abnormal increase in oil utilization, though trivial are potential signs of leaks.
During your spring cleanup task, take into consideration your home heating oil system too. The problem areas of your oil tank are the valves, piping, fuel delivery line, and other fittings. If you happen to find any worn out or damaged parts, replace them as soon as you can.
Condensed water and sludge accumulate inside the pipelines may lead to corrosion. As corroded pipes are prone to leak oil outside, try to carry out an overall cleaning of your home heating oil system at least once in few years.
Whether it is an above ground or underground oil tank, perform these regular checks. Don’t convince yourself by painting the concrete and think its good enough to leave it as such for a few more years.
However, if your oil tank company confirms oil leak from your tank, don’t panic. There are eco friendly oil spill containment products like Oil Gone Easy S-200 available in 5 gallon pails that employ micro organisms to remove the spilt oil. However, in case of major oil leaks, you ought to intimate the fire department and the State’s Department of Environmental Protection immediately.

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Stormwater Runoff

Stormwater runoff carries all types of wastes, anywhere and everywhere and ultimately drops them into rivers and streams. Oil spills are one of those hazardous wastes that can enter into the sea water along with the stormwater runoff. As ports are very near to the sea, oil spills in ports can cause too much of a damage to the marine ecosystem. Apart from port oil spills, construction sites also generate oil wastes that can add up to the environmental mess during a storm.

To prevent such problems, there’s the SWPPP – Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan in place. It is a water pollution control measure that should be completed and certified before any construction starts. This plan identifies possible pollutants in a particular site that may pollute the stormwater runoff. It tells you ways to reduce pollutants in stormwater and also describes Best Management Practices (BMP). Waste disposal is one of the important aspects of the SWPPP. Construction and pollution go hand in hand. But, you can very well manage it and keep the pollution level to a minimum.

Oily and greasy wastes are not uncommon in any port. However, what’s crucial is to manage this oily stuff in an efficient way. Oil spills that occur from loading and unloading of tanker vessels in ports, when mixed with stormwater, can find their way into the marine water causing serious ecological damages. So, safe storage and disposal of oily material in ports is really important to avoid such complications. With such drastic consequences of oil spills, we just cannot afford to ignore proper oil spill prevention and treatment.

It’s not that there’s going to be a storm whenever there’s an oil spill in ports. But, it’s always better to be safe than sorry. Oil Gone Easy S-200 is an eco friendly oil spill containment product that degrades oil into harmless byproducts. It can clear out the oil completely, and leave the environment pollution free. So, join hands to prevent stormwater pollution in a greener way!

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Texas oil spill

Oil spills no matter where always manage to capture the headlines. The recent Port Arthur oil spill in Texas has once again proved how ports are prone oil spills. This spill disaster was the outcome of a collision between an oil tanker and a towing vessel. Just as any other oil spill, the amount of damage caused by this tanker accident is also not very clear.

With 462,000 gallons of oil spewing out into the sea, the Texas oil spill is the largest spill that has hit Texas in the past 16 years. The previous worse case was a Norwegian tanker accident that spilled 4.3 million gallons of crude oil on the coast of Galveston!

The amount of oil recovered is just around ten percent. About one third of the spilt oil was either evaporated or dispersed and the remaining oil is still continuing to pose a threat to the environment. Booms and oil-sucking skimmer boats were used to prevent the spill from spreading.

Whenever an oil spill occurs, the marine ecosystem is the worst affected one. Oil covered herons were identified soon after the Texas oil spill occurred and it’ll not be too shocking if more laid up birds are found.

Chemical detergents come in and do the job of dispersing the oil within a very short time, but the long term consequences are even worse than the oil spill itself. So, eco friendly products always have an edge over the chemical spill cleaners.
Oil Gone Easy S-200 is an eco-friendly product that is really a promising solution for oil spill cleanup irrespective of the nature of the spill. It employs oil eating bacteria to convert the oil into harmless derivatives. The product is so effective that Port of Pensacola has employed Oil Gone Easy S-200 to clean up the port.

This green product is also being considered for the cleanup of coastal areas affected by the oil spill in the Gulf. The oil spill cleanup operation at the Texas Oil Spill site will really be benefited if Oil Gone Easy S-200 is considered for cleanup!

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Oil Spill Refinery

Oil refineries produce different types of fuel from crude oil such as petroleum, diesel, and liquefied petroleum gas. However, along with these fuels, there are many other toxic materials that are routinely produced and released into the environment.

Currently almost all refineries around the world pollute the environment at unacceptable, unhealthy levels. They are one of the major contributors of oil spill pollution in the United States and the negative effects of the toxic effluents released by them are plainly evident.

Chemical pollution and oil spill pollution prove harmful as they go on unrestrictedly. Vegetation dies off and land is made barren. Waterways get polluted by the oil spills and toxic materials and the local fauna get severely affected. These contaminants seep into the groundwater as well, causing great concern about community health and safety.

As the crude oil is refined, a number of chemicals are released into the environment, polluting heavily. These chemicals have been known to cause extensive damage to the human health as well. Benzene has been linked to cancer whereas lead inhibits children’s mental development and ability to learn.

Skin irritations, asthma, cough, and bronchitis, are also commonly attributed to gaseous effluents from oil refineries. These emissions cause permanent damage and even death over prolonged exposure.

Accidental fires, explosions, and chemical and gas leaks are common at oil refineries. Such accidents release more than usual amounts of pollutants, resulting in acute exposure and greater health impacts.

To prevent such pollution, refineries have to take corrective steps. Proper handling of the wastes and immediate cleanup of spilled oil in an eco-friendly manner would be beneficial for all. Oil Gone Easy S-200 is an eco-friendly product which uses bioremediation to help in cleaning up oil spills, both crude and refined, effectively and naturally. This environmentally safe product is also available in convenient gallon pails.

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Oil Spills in Ports

Large oil tankers load and discharge oil at ports, and there’s every possibility for oil to spill out. Oil spill pollution in ports should be taken care of immediately as it can cause direct damage to the marine ecosystem. It causes toxic accumulation, and even death of the marine plants and animals within a very short period of time.

Oil spill cleanup methods in ports are same as that of other spill cleaning strategies; the only difference is the requirement of instantaneous response. Whenever there is oil spill in a port, the first response is to find out its source and secure the spill. Any leaking tanker valve or loose-fitting nozzle should be identified and fixed. Immediate steps should be taken to bring the spill under control and also the removed oil should be degraded in a safe way.

Large wharves present in ports can accumulate oil under their surfaces, and it becomes too difficult to find out the oil spill unless they show up themselves. Ship propellers or vacuum pumps are used to suck out the oil that is hidden underneath. Again, the recovered oil should be treated in an appropriate way to prevent any possible damage to the environment.

If oil dispersing agents are harsh on the environment, then what could be an effective oil spill cleanup strategy? Use of oil spill containment products that adopt green technology is a better option. Oil Gone Easy S-200 is one such green product that makes use of hydrocarbon eating bacteria for effective oil spill cleanup. It can give oil spill free clean ports in a matter of days! This product has been used in the cleanup of the Port of Pensacola.

It’s always better to avoid spills. But, in a place where there are hundreds of oil tankers loading and bunkering all types of oil, completely preventing oil spills is almost next to impossible. Even so, giving a good try is always feasible. A good waste management system in ports with adequate resources to handle oil leaks and other oily wastes is necessary. Careful handling of greasy materials is also equally important. Clean ports without oil specks are possible with Oil Gone Easy S-200!

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Oil spills on highways

Of course, oil spills damage the environment to a great extent. Human and animal health, ecosystem, and drinking water quality, everything is in trouble! But, there are other things to weigh too! Road safety is one serious issue that is at stake due to oil spills on highways.
Do you know there’s an uncanny link between road accidents and oil spill? An oil spill can cause a road accident, and a road accident in turn, can cause an oil spill. Both of them are dangerous, so it is always better to be safe than sorry!
You must be wondering how oil spills on a highway can be as terrifying as claimed. “With the jet speed a vehicle gains while driving on a highway, a scanty oil spill is not going to cause much of a difference.” Is this what you think? Then, you’d better change your opinion. These arguments go well with statistics and probability, but not in real life! If you’re driving on a slippery highway, then there’s every chance of you ending up in an accident!
Oil trucks and tankers with a poor leak proof system can cause large oil spills on the road. And if it rains when there is a large spill out there, then the situation couldn’t be riskier. The roads become twice as slippery and become an accident prone zone!
Removing oil spills from highways using green products like Oil Gone Easy S-200 can do wonders! One thing you can do to prevent road accidents is to maintain your car or bike in a good condition. It’s good in two ways – gives a long lasting life to your vehicle, and checks engine oil spills that can otherwise pollute the environment.
Oil Gone Easy S-200, available in 5 gallon pails, is an eco friendly product that is a promising solution to lethal oil leaks. It makes use of hydrocarbon eating bacteria that break down contaminants like oil and fuel. After oil is used up, the product dissolves completely, posing no threat to the environment.
The method of application is also very simple! Spray the formula over the oil spill and leave it intact for a couple of weeks. You can get 5 gallon pails for home usage. That’s all you have to do to chuck out oil spots. Green products like this are hard to find and we recommend that you make full use of it.

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