How Do We Protect The Environment From Oil Spills
Following the BP Gulf of Mexico oil spill, once again it has been shown just how disastrous and devastating to the environment an oil spill can be. However, that does not mean we don’t continue drilling offshore or that small oil spills cannot affect the environment. As we have learned from the Gulf Oil spill, clean-up has to be the top priority.
As the saying goes, prevention is better than cure. We should always have a backup plan in case something goes wrong when dealing with oil. The oil transport ships should always have empty containers around the main storage tanks so as to tap the spilling oil. This should also apply to the drilling companies.
Containment is another way to prevent this. If the oil has already being spilled, a barrier should be created to prevent further spreading. Containment will reduce the damage and make clean up easier. Spills berms are great to use on land spills while spill booms are ideal for water spills. There are two types of booms; the absorbent and non-absorbent types. You should have both. However, non-absorbent are best for keeping the oil slick contained.
Clean-up is the most important step. There are many ways to clean up an oil spill but the best method for a large body of water is an absorbent boom. This can absorb a huge amount of oil while repelling water. When full, they can be replaced with new ones until the oil is fully removed. When on land, if it is a huge spill, you can use a specially designed fertilizer which encourages growth of microscopic life which can consume the oil and digest the oil.
However, you should always be prepared to minimize damage to the environment. The ability to react fast is very crucial. This means that when dealing with oil, you should always have the necessary equipment close at hand especially when dealing with oil on water. Since oil and water don’t mix it will certainly spread out fast and deprive the marine wildlife air.
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